


By Your Side

by MystyVander



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark Magic, Durmstrang, M/M, Male Slash, Slash, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-30
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 10:15:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 46,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1547084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MystyVander/pseuds/MystyVander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Complete! Harry Potter really did get expelled the summer before Fifth Year and is forced to attend Durmstrang Academy for Magic instead of Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy is sent on an explicit mission by his Father to protect Harry at all costs, bringing him home to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Both boys end up getting more than they ever bargained for. Song Fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost It All

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the lovely Beta, PeruvianDarkness and Kyte Darkness, who Beta'd this many years ago for me when it was originally posted on FanFiction! Please read, review and enjoy!

_Run away_  
 _I'm living with a hole inside_  
 _A piece of me that I have yet to find_  
 _The edge of reason lies uneven_  
 _Turn me off, feel the blood so cold_  
 _Like a product that was bought in salt_  
 _Asking me for the impossible._  
 _I ain't waiting for a miracle_  
 _I ain't waiting for the world to change_  
 _Under my skin lives the reason_  
 _Under my armour I lost it all_  
 _No more pain_  
 _No saviour made of our design_  
 _Fool me before I tell ya not this time_  
 _Rape my body, lost my vision, lost my mind_  
 _I had to let it go_  
 _Another day living irrational  
_ _Another day inside the dying soul._

* * *

 

" _Inflictum!_ "

The tall, lean, greying brunette easily deflected the attack sent at him in the form of a ruby red bolt. His dark, sunken eyes quickly caught hold of his target from across the yard. He raised his ebony seven-inch-long wand and bellowed, " _Trinusias!_ "

On the opposite side of the narrow yard, a boy of only fifteen years-old knew immediately to look down at his feet. Suddenly, the long blades of sunburnt grass seemed to jump at him, coming to life and yanking at his ankles. He pointed his own wand downward and whispered, " _Finite_ ". However, as he was making the charm vanish, his attacker had moved close enough so that his wand was only at an arm's length from the boy.

The older man smirked playfully, " _Vinvi-_ "

" _Umbra Perago!_ " the boy interrupted, while darkness enveloped the older man, the raven-haired youth crouched and moved around to the back of his trainer, " _Attonitus_ ," he said with ease; out of his wand a murky white light rushed forward to hit the other in the back of the head, rendering him completely still.

Harry Potter wiped the sweat from his brow, which lay underneath his rounded glasses, then moved his messy fringe out of the way from his dull, emerald coloured eyes, flashing his lightning-bolt scar. He came to stand in front of Sirius Black, his Godfather and sighed lazily.

"Was that good enough?" he asked, waving his hand over the man, lifting the stunning hex.

"That was bloody fantastic, Harry!"

"That was forty-five minutes, that was!" a third voice called from the tall, dilapidated Noble House of Black. Leaning against the kitchen back doorway was Remus Lupin, looking tired from the full moon that had occurred only two nights prior as he narrowed his eyes at the men, "Lunch is ready, and has been for awhile!" he called again, glaring at them. Sirius grinned largely and threw his arm over Harry's shoulders, leaning lightly against him.

"Oi, shove off, Moony! We were doing Duelling Practice!" Sirius said, then stuck his tongue out. Remus rolled his eyes and slunk back into the kitchen. Harry and Sirius entered, smiling over at Ron and Hermione, who were already sitting down and helping themselves to the prepared sandwiches. They filled their own plates, but for some reason Harry didn't start eating as he solemnly placed his head in his hands on the table top.

"So, how was practice today?" Remus asked conversationally.

"He's beaten me every time for the past two weeks. I must say that he's improved drastically," Sirius complimented, nudging Harry playfully in the side, but the raven-haired boy just ignored the jibe. He was exhausted, that much was plain to see. There were massive crow's feet underneath both of his dulled eyes, his matted hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in weeks and his mouth was turned downwards, etched in a permanent frown.

"You have to eat, Harry," Hermione said softly from across the table.

Harry slowly looked up to meet her eyes. The complete sadness that filled his own startled her, "I have too much on my mind to eat anything," he mumbled.

Everyone sent him worrying glances but didn't say anything else. They ate silently for a few minutes. "It's all pure rubbish, this is," Ron said finally, throwing his sandwich down on his plate and pushing his chair backwards. He crossed his arms and seemed to be pouting.

"Dumbledore will fix it soon. I know he will," Hermione said hopefully, smiling comfortingly at Harry who merely shrugged.

"It's quite difficult, though, for even Albus to overrule the Minister. That is why we must await a second trial, but, sadly, we're not being given one until Christmas," Remus explained softly.

"Fudge is a damned fool, he's too blind to see that Voldemort's returned and he's taking away Dumbledore's 'weapon' just to hit him where it hurts. He's a bloody coward," Sirius spat, whenever they directly spoke about the Trial in which Harry was expelled from Hogwarts for using Under-age Wizardry, the older man would always become livid.

"They have to keep Harry safe at Durmstrang as well, it's not like Headmaster Karkaroff is going to hand him over to Death Eaters,"

"Igor Karkaroff  _is_  a Death Eater, 'Mione," Ron groaned, "And going to school there is like going to school with bloody Slytherins. Only Slytherins!"

Harry sighed loudly as everybody turned towards him, "There's nothing we can do about it so let's just drop it already,"

"But, Harry, it'll be so dangerous-"

"Well, what do you expect me to do, Ron? Stay here with Sirius and Buckbeak all year round?" Harry snapped and rubbed his temples frustratingly, "That's what all this training is for. So I can defend myself against all those ruddy bastards that go there,"

"Not to mention all the bleeding studying," Ron mumbled sadly. Harry had been tiring himself out, attempting to catch up and surpass all of the learning which would be down at Durmstrang. Their curriculum wasn't quite like Hogwarts, even though most of their classes were the same. Theirs were centred around using the Dark Arts instead of defending against them, even in classes such as Charms and Transfigurations.

"Speaking of, I should go. Thanks for lunch, Moony," Harry said, and before anybody could even mention him not eating again, he was out of the room and dragging himself up the stairs. He passed all of the bedrooms and immediately went for the third floor which held only the study. It was a small study, lined with dusty family heirloom books all containing dark material. There was a single window in the room, in the corner above a small wooden desk which held Harry's temporary Potion set. Harry hated this room, but it was the only place he could get peace and quiet in the entire household so he could concentrate on his reading and brewing. He had always been wretched in Potions, so he had to pay particular attention to studying it over the summer. At Durmstrang, Potions was one of the foremost courses. He was just glad he wouldn't have to deal with Professor Snape as his teacher any longer. Sighing, he settled down in front of his set where a batch of Deadly Sleep was being brewed. To which a touch to the lips of the liquid would cause instant a coma, one where the drinker could be revived by only one specific counter-potion. It had just finished setting for exactly twenty four and a half hours, which should be the perfect time to add the last batch of ingredients. Harry took hold of his knife and uncorked a bottle of Doxy Eggs, of which he chopped up two into sixths. He grabbed the ladle, took the lid off of the thick, green potion and stirred it clockwise as he added the eggs. Then came the Worsmwart and Acromantula venom, provided by Hagrid, Harry stirred for sixteen more turns before stopping. He peered down into the heated Potion, which had now turned a lighter green and had thinned out. It looked perfect, so he bottled a couple of samples. One for a trial, and others for later if they were to become necessary at school which started in one week. Now he just had to brew the counter-potion just as perfectly so he could test them out.

There was a soft knock at the library door. Harry instinctively drew his wand and stiffly turned around to greet Hermione who was stepping into the room, biting her lower lip. "How is the potion coming along?" she asked tentatively.

"Finished, I do believe. Just need to clean up," he said, placing the vials on the table and waving his wand over the cauldron, " _Scourgify_ ," it wiped itself clean.

Hermione came over slowly to help put the ingredients away into the small ingredient cupboard to the left of the desk. "And how are you doing, Harry?" she asked gently, reaching out to place her hand on Harry's shoulder.

He quickly shrugged it off, not particularly fond of all the pity he was receiving ever since his failed trial, "Fine," he muttered.

"Just fine?"

Harry stood up and pocketed the vials, "What else am I supposed to be? Ecstatic? Depressed? What more do you want from me?" he growled, fists clenched. Hermione's eyes fell down to the scar on Harry's right wrist; it was still purple from where Wormtail had cut him to bring Voldemort back to life merely two and a half months ago.

"It-It's just that... you're so distant lately, Harry. We're all so worried. We just want to help..." she was whispering softly, approaching him from behind, he relaxed slightly but still seemed highly agitated.

"There's nothing more to do, okay. I just need to study," Harry mumbled, attempting to sound reassuring but sounding anything but.

"Harry, you're not gonna  _believe_  this!" Ron groaned loudly, entering the study with a newspaper crunched in his hands.

"What's Skeeter writing now?" he sighed.

"Page Four," Ron ordered, thrusting The Daily Prophet at Harry who took it from his best friend and opened it up.

There, in the middle of page four, as a family portrait of the Malfoy's looking prim and proper. Harry looked immediately to the boy in the middle, smirking that infamous smirk. His hair seemed to have grown since the school year, it was an even lighter blonde and it fell delicately around his intense silver eyes that pierced through the photograph. He was leaning on one foot, his arms crossed and his pointed nose held high in the air, his chin jutted out aristocratically. The Malfoy signet ring shone off his left index finger, caught by the flash of the camera.

Harry quickly scanned the article- by the time he was finished he was glaring daggers at it. His emerald eyes burned, his hands clenched around the paper, almost tearing it in two. A dark aura seemed to resonate around him, Hermione even backed away in fear of what his temper could do to his unhinged magic. His emotions were so influential on his core as of late, for he had grown in power nearly tenfold since the beginning of summer as he was finally concentrating on developing all of his natural abilities.

"What does it say?" Hermione asked, directed at Ron who was eyeing Harry carefully, making sure he didn't break something nearby.

"Malfoy's going to Durmstrang, too. His Father said Dumbledore-"

" _Professor_ ," Hermione corrected.

" _Professor_  Dumbledore," Ron continued with an eye-roll, "couldn't offer a sufficient enough education or some cods-wallop. Went on and on about how successful and worthy Karkaroff is, yada, yada, yada. It's all bull, anyway, we know it's just a ploy to get Malfoy in there to spy on Harry,"

"We don't know that!"

"We know Lucius is a Death Eater," Ron shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Why else would he suddenly make him change schools when Harry does? Obviously he has been spying on him for the past five years, he knows him more than the other Death Eaters at Durmstrang will,"

"Malfoy's always wanted to go to Durmstrang," Harry thoughtfully said to himself, recalling when he first met the blonde five years ago in Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions. The youngest Malfoy had been rambling on about how much better Durmstrang is than Hogwarts.

Hermione and Ron shot Harry a strange look for the comment, "Whatever the reason, Malfoy's there now and he's the worst of all the snakes," Ron snarled gloomily.

"Fucking arsehole, always makes things worse," Harry mumbled angrily, thrust the paper down onto the ground and stormed out of the library.

 _'Great, not only do I have to leave Hogwarts and go to Durmstrang with a bunch of Death Eater Wannabes but now I have to deal with the prat prince. Fucking Malfoy,_ ' he thought to himself, storming all the way down to his room that he shared with Ron right beside the Master, Sirius', bedroom.

Harry nearly threw himself down on his bed where books and scribbled parchment notes lay, he grabbed the first thing he could and began reading. It was his wandless magic book he had found in the library. He needed to distract himself. A few moments later, Ron and Hermione were at his door, walking in without even knocking. He glared up at them from over his pages, "I'm studying, come back later,"

"About Malf-"

"I don't want to think about Malfoy, Ron, so kindly piss off," Harry whispered through clenched teeth, his eyes returning to his pages. Ron was about to protest but Hermione quickly pulled him from the room, softly closing the door behind them.

Harry decided to keep reading,; to keep studying to keep his thoughts as far away from Malfoy as possible, not wanting him to make a terrible situation worse. It was safe to say that Harry was stuck in his room the rest of the day and night, fearing that if he left the comfort of his books and magic all thoughts would rush back to reality all too soon.

* * *

 

_Burn it all_  
 _Burn it to the fucking ground_  
 _Believe the words that I don't want me around_  
 _Life with vision, indecision_  
 _World collision and heads will roll_  
 _With nothing left except the pain to show_  
 _Mental imagery on the floor._  
 _I ain't waiting for a miracle_  
 _I ain't waiting for the world to change_  
 _Under my skin lives the reason  
_ _Under my armour I lost it all._


	2. Loyalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Loyalty  
> By: American Head Charge

_It's just a reason to deny  
_ _All the limits that border  
_ _On the thinnest_ _frailties  
_ _that makes a sudden change.  
_ _I'll pay my soul into sleep  
_ _I'll make up words that I keep  
_ _Letting nothing go to anyone at all.  
_ _Where is your loyalty now  
_ _When all the cards have been left on the table?  
_ _All of them  
_ _Bleed at the nerves  
_ _Then take so long  
_ _to wear down._

* * *

 

The Manor was nearly empty, as it was always tended to be those days. Severus had just left from one of his visits, spending most of his time with the youngest Malfoy locked inside the Potions room. The House Elves were all busy with their daily chores, Narcissa was currently out to Diagon Alley with a couple of acquaintances including Pansy Parkinson's mother, whereas Lucius had set to work on the estate finances in his study. This left Draco quite thoroughly alone, only a week and a half prior to the start of term. He was sitting in his personal library, a book he wasn't particularly interested in his hands, staring at its words with bored, silver eyes. He ran a thin, long alabaster hand through his platinum hair, falling perfectly to the shape of his pointed face and sighed lowly. He needed something to entertain himself with before he went completely senile with boredom. He had already been through the entire library of books over the years; he had learned all of the forbidden hexes, curses and all of the potions he now perfectly brewed. Now that Draco was left to his own devices, it unnerved him. Deciding company was what he needed, he tossed his book aside and sauntered over to the small fireplace which was linked to the Floo Network. He started a Firecall to one of his only friends, Blaise Zabini.

"Zabini!" Draco called once he was connected. After a few moments he heard some scuffling and suddenly an image of Blaise appeared before him in his own bedroom in the smaller, much more humble Zabini Manor halfway across the country.

"Malfoy, is there any particular reason for this call?" Blaise purred, crossing his arms and raising his brow, though he was eternally grateful for having been called upon as the end of summer dreariness had been getting under his skin as well. 

Draco sneered through the fire in response, "I'm bored out of my skull. Come over," he ordered. Blaise chuckled and shrugged.

"I guess I've nothing better to do myself. Give me a few minutes. May I come through your room?"

"Of course. See you there," Draco ended the call abruptly, knowing it wouldn't take Blaise long to suddenly appear through the fire in his bedroom. He strode out of the library and down the hall, passing the marble statues of past Malfoy's and other famous Pureblood Wizard's and passed the moving and still portraits alike. He stepped inside his room and saw Blaise leaning his tall, lean figure up against his mantle place with a playful smirk. He had dark, olive skin and deep, brown eyes that were always masked, just like Draco's. Blaise was used to Draco's quarters by now in the West Wing of the Manor; the dark emerald walls, the drawing room, the vanity, the expansive windows looking across the Malfoy Estate, and the extravagant bed fit for a king.

"Malfoy- smashing as always," Blaise drawled smoothly, pushing himself off of the mantle and sauntering over to shake his friends hand in greeting before lazily dropping it after a momentary hold. 

"Zabini. It is quite nice to see some form of life again other than myself and rotten House Elves," he grinned. Ever since he could remember, Blaise was the only friend of his that he ever felt relatively close to, "A game of Chess then? I have been dying to play with somebody that just doesn't let me win,"

Blaise raised an eyebrow amusedly, "I think we should talk first. There are some questions I wanted to ask you,"

"Questions? Whatever you want, Blaise. C'mon," Draco lead him over to the far side of the immaculate room where the largest window was, the sun streaming in through the curtain openings. There were three armchairs there, along with a small coffee table where the boys usually played Chess or Exploding Snap. "Winky," Draco called, and suddenly the House Elf appeared beside him as he sat down into his usual armchair, Blaise across from him.

"Yes, Master Draco? What can Winky do for you and Mister Zabini?" Winky bowed lowly, her long, scaly nose nearly grazing the ground as she did so, her tea cosy hanging unattractively.

"Bring us a spot of tea and some éclairs, would you?" he asked.

"Anything for Master Draco," Winky bowed again and disappeared.

"You and your sweets, Draco. Never could get enough of them," Blaise winked.

Draco shook his head, chuckling darkly as strands of blonde hair fell in front of his silver eyes, "Chocolate. It's good for the heart and magical growth, everybody knows that,"

Winky reappeared with a tray of tea and éclairs and placed them on the table and bowed to Draco before disappearing once more. Like a proper host, Draco poured his guest some tea first before his own and he sipped tentatively at it, waiting patiently for Blaise to speak once again. "You know where my parents stand in terms to this War," Blaise suddenly began; immediately upon mentioning of the War Draco tensed considerably, clutching his cup in his hand, "They're servants of You-Know-Who and always will be loyal. I, however, have thoroughly pronounced my distaste for this waste of a time War and will never join the Death Eaters or Dumbledore, the old coot. I'm neutral, as you well know,"

"What are you getting at, Blaise? These aren't things we should be discussing..."

"Don't be a fool, Draco, you're my best friend. I don't want to see you ending up in something too big for you to handle. There are dark things happening out there… whether or not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has actually returned is still in question but I believe things are going to get ugly either way. I can't lose you as a friend- I can't lose you at all. My parents support my opinion and I need you to know that if there ever comes a time when you need assistance, there are those who are there to protect you if need be. There are people who care about you, in case those who are closest try to force you into -"

"Zabini," Draco cut him off in a low growl, "If you are implying that my own Father and Mother would force me to follow the Dark Lord, I suggest you stop this nonsense at once. They too would support whichever path I choose to take," Blaise eyed the hot-tempered boy cautiously.

"Are you sure about that, Draco?" he questioned softly.

Draco sighed and relaxed; he understood where Blaise was coming from, considering who his Father was and all. They had never been a close family, but Draco knew they weren't the kind of family to sell out their own blood and kin. To others, however, it might seem much different than that. "Blaise, let's just not talk about this, okay?"

"I'm not finished," Blaise interjected, "Do you personally know if the Dark Lord has truly returned?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "You think I would be privileged enough to know that kind of information?"

Blaise leaned in and spoke seriously, "Draco, your Father is second in Command to the Lord himself. You are looked up at by all other children from Death Eater parents. If anybody was to know for sure it would be you,"

"Well, I don't, alright? Can we just play some Chess now?" Draco asked testily through his clenched teeth- he wanted Blaise to come over so he could have a distraction from all of these usual thoughts and conversations that ran through his head daily, he was sick of the war talk that had grown ever since the Triwizard Tournament. 

"Right. Sorry then," Blaise mumbled, taking an éclair and eating it along with his words.

They played a couple rounds of Chess, talking about things that didn't really matter, such as the upcoming term to start in two weeks time, or the gossip from the last Pureblood Gala or Ball they had attended. There was always a closeness and a simple understanding between Blaise and Draco; they didn't even ever have to question when the other leaned forward for a small, chaste kiss, or perhaps a heavier session of the same. They were two boys of fifteen, so did what came naturally to them. As the hours of the passing afternoon slipped on by, there was a gentle knock at Draco's door and it opened before he could respond. He looked up from the game of Exploding Snap he was currently playing, which caused his cards to explode promptly, a small stream of smoke rising from the table. Blaise grinned and whispered, "I win,"

"Draco, darling, your Father and I would like to speak with you in his study as soon as possible. Please say goodbye to Mister Zabini at once, we are promptly expecting you," Narcissa ordered with tight lips, her face cold as stone as she swept out of his room just as quickly as she had come.

Draco sighed and took out his ivory wand and quickly waved it over the table and all the games were cleared up. Blaise stood and stretched before pulling the blonde into an embrace, he lingered there for a few moments, his face pulled back looking up at the taller boys as if expecting something, but Draco merely departed from the hug. "Call on me sooner this time, would you Draco? I'm dead bored over there," Blaise groaned, thinking of the loneliness that awaited him in his own house.

"Of course, depending on what Father wants of me," Draco said crossly, never looking forward to these little family discussions which always turned out to be lessons on how-to-be-a-Malfoy or more forced upon teachings.

"Be careful,  _Draco darling_ ," Blaise teased and then disappeared in through the mantle place in a flash of green flames, just as he had entered.

Draco sighed and quickly gathered himself to stalk out of his quarters, through the West Wing and into the South where his Father and Mother were waiting for him. He entered his Father's study and immediately joined them, sitting across in an armchair from his parents who sat at least a foot apart on the black leather couch. His Father's study always sent shivers down his spine for some reason, the tall looming shelves and the dark, tinted windows. The entirety of it was totally ominous and discomforting, he believed he meant it to make people feel intimidated by him upon entering. 

"Son," Lucius said, leaning forward and elegantly waving his hand at a full cup of tea which then levitated itself and was now floating towards the boy who took it apprehensively as he eyed his Father.

"What is it?" Draco asked, wishing for them to get to the point because the more time he spent in their presence the more he squirmed beneath his own skin. He had never been close to his parents- the closest they were was the fact that they shared the same gene pool. Lucius pushed his long, silvery strands of hair away from his face and behind his ears, he leaned on his elbows and had a solemn look about him - more than usual. Narcissa was sitting straight as ever, her hands folded perfectly on her lap as she stared at her son sternly.

"As you well have heard by now, there have been rumours about what exactly occurred at the end of the TriWizard Tournament this year," Lucius began, Draco's eyes went comically wide as he didn't expect to be bluntly talking about this incident, "I would like to explain what really happened, so that your head does not become muddled with rumours.

"The TriWizard Cup was indeed a portkey set in place by Barty Crouch Jr., polyjuiced as Alastor Moody-"

"Father, I know all of this,"

"Draco, you will be quiet when you are being spoken to," Narcissa hissed heatedly, immediately shushing him up. Draco's jaw tightened as he glared at her before continuing his attention to his Father.

"When Harry Potter and that Diggory boy took that cup, they were transported to the graveyard where Tom Riddle's Father was buried. Here, Diggory was disposed of by Peter Pettigrew and Potter's blood was used to resurrect our Dark Lord," Lucius took a deep, almost shuddering breath and a shaky sip of tea. Lucius Malfoy never shook. 

"S-so he's really alive, then? And Potter really did meet him...again?" Draco asked in a hoarse whisper, of course there were many speculative rumours, most of them involving Potter's sanity, but to actually be the one whose blood resurrects the Dark Lord and to actually meet him and survive when he wanted you dead was...spectacular.

"Yes, I know this because I was summoned there that night along with the closer of his followers," Lucius sighed, "Now, when I joined him, it was during the height of his first reign. He was a powerful Dark Wizard who could appeal and persuade nearly anybody he wanted to into joining him, except the small few who created a resistance that failed until the night Harry Potter came along. Nobody knows for certain what happened that night that nearly killed our Lord, only the two of them can understand it. But now it is different. Everything has been altered. The resistance is larger, much larger and Albus Dumbledore is more aware, Harry Potter is older and has grown in his magical potential tenfold. Narcissa and I have looked thoroughly at our position and have decided what needs to be done," Lucuis stopped and looked at his son expectantly.

Draco didn't know what to say, or how to react, "We're switching sides?" he finally croaked out in disbelief. The Dark Lord would surely have them dispensed of immediately.

"In a manner of terms, yes, Son. I believe it to be best for the survival of our family. I have already spoken to Albus concerning this matter and he has offered us his protection, so long as I stay a rouse under our Lord still. So life shall remain as it is, though when the time for true War comes we will be protected by the winning side, that I am sure of," Lucius shook his head, his eyes looked tired and drained. This was obviously not an easy decision for him but Draco couldn't help but see the bravery in this bold move and he admired the man before him. He was such a charismatic diplomat above all else who always got his way. 

"What am I supposed to do, Father?" Draco asked quietly.

"Your task is of most importance. Did you hear what happened to Harry Potter this summer?"

Draco was taken aback, "Yes, it was all over the papers. Saint Potter can't return to Hogwarts, good riddance is-"

"He is our only hope for survival, Draco!" Narcissa cut him off angrily, "And his only hope for survival is the protection that those at Hogwarts can offer him! Now he is being sent to Durmstrang Institute where he is in perilous danger!"

"S-so what am I supposed to do about it?"

"We have already arranged for your schooling to be changed, Draco. You are to attend Durmstrang Acadamy for Magic and protect Harry Potter at all costs. He is the only hope for putting a final end to this War, he is the only one able to defeat our Lord and your task is to bring him back to Hogwarts under protection as soon as possible," Lucius said seriously, ignoring the completely agape look on his son's face.

"A Wizard's Unbreakable Vow will tie you to it," Narcissa added in, taking out her wand.

Draco's eyes went wider than he thought possible, his parents were going to make him take the Unbreakable Vow? On a task that was almost certainly going to take his life? He would have to convince all those around him he followed the Dark Lord yet protect Harry Potter at a school full of Death Eater's children thirsting to earn a name in the rankings of the Lord, "Is this what you want from me, Father?" he gulped.

"Yes, Son, I do believe that if anyone can complete the task of keeping Harry Potter safe at a place like Durmstrang, it is you. I trust you to fulfil this task and remember all that I have taught you," Lucius said and held out his hand expectantly, which Draco took in his own cold, sweating and shaking one.

"And I gather I am to cover as well?"

"As best as possible, Draco," Narcissa said softly, obviously feeling the smallest pieces of sympathy rise up in her for her son. She held out her wand to where their connected hands were and Lucius locked eyes heavily with his Son.

"I, Draco Malfoy," Narcissa said.

"I, Draco Malfoy,"

"Do bind myself to one Lucius Malfoy,"

"Do bind myself to one Lucius Malfoy,"

"In the promise that I shall keep Harry Potter safe at all costs and return him to the safety of Hogwarts,"

"In the promise that I shall keep Harry Potter safe at all costs and return him to the safety of Hogwarts,"

"If I cannot fulfil my duties, then this Vow shall be repaid by my life,"

"If I cannot fulfil my duties, then this Vow shall be repaid by my life," Draco swallowed heavily as he watched the magic entwine him and his Father's hands, it crept up his arms and soon the magic disappeared into his skin, leaving the mark of the Unbreakable Vow heavily itched in, "May I be excused?" he asked haughtily. Lucius and Narcissa both nodded wordlessly, understanding the sacrifice they were willing to make for the good of this war, that sacrifice being their son. They also knew he understood it, even though it might be difficult to cope with it was a necessary evil. Draco didn't hurry back to his chambers but instead he rushed down the many staircases of the Manor until he reached the Grounds. He stomped angrily across the Estate, his breath hitched angrily in his throat with bits of fear running through his mind.

"Saint-bloody-Potter needing my protection now, does he? It's always all about Potter. He fucking ruins everything and now I can't even go back to Hogwarts because of him...now if he dies, I die. Fuck, sod it all, fuck!" Draco swore as he raged across the Estate and slipped through the large, barred gates. Once on the outskirts, he did something he knew to be illegal for those under-age but his Father had taught him years ago for another form of protection. Draco apparated and disappeared to the only man he could truly trust in the world, to the only person he could speak freely to without concern or worry, to the only man he really felt was his real family.

He reappeared in a solemn looking, British neighbourhood and knocked on the door he now stood in front of. A tall, thin man with greasy black hair and a long nose appeared before him in black robes and crossed arms, though immediately upon seeing the anger on Draco's face he softened, "Draco," he whispered.

"Sev, I need to talk to somebody," Draco hissed heatedly, and was hurriedly escorted inside by Severus Snape.

* * *

 

 _This time I have made enough mistakes  
_ _For you to bear against me in direct break  
_ _Our original ideals, you let us down  
_ _And betrayed our trust with all your promises.  
_ _Where is your loyalty now  
_ _When all the cards have been left on the table?_


	3. Believe In Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Believe In Nothing  
> By: All That Remains

_Into a strange new world, into the after  
_ _All your tears might find you've fallen too far  
_ _Take another look, take another ride  
_ _Can't we make them leave the hate behind?  
_ _And I still believe in nothing  
_ _Will we ever see the shape of tomorrow?  
_ _Into the empty storm, into the formless loss of hope,  
_ _Where we can forget the game._

* * *

 

Harry pressed his forehead against the thick glass, peering outwards at the scenery which slowly rolled by as the train began to pick up speed. He was headed in the complete opposite direction of Hogwarts and the mere thought of it was downright depressing. How able was he going to be to make a new home at this school, away from his only friends? Not to mention being on constant alert due to the general population of the school wanting to see Harry dead. He sighed, looking across the seat at his caged, snowy white owl who was fast asleep. "Hedwig, you're all I've got now," he whispered sorrowfully. Of course, there were always letters to write to Sirius, Remus, Hermione and Ron, but would that really do any difference? It would all feel just the same as it did at the Dursley's, shut off from everybody else with no news of anything or anybody. Apparantly Owl Post was still too dangerous and most likely being monitored by the Ministry for Magic and Death Eaters alike, so all letters had to be written in code which made communication all the more difficult.

Everything seemed so much more dower at Durmstrang and Harry wasn't even there yet- he was basing this opinion off of their uniforms and attitudes. All sleek black cloaks, tightly clasped together with the school crest of a double-headed eagle. The compartment door suddenly slid open with a click, revealing three grinning boys bearing their beady eyes down at Harry who quickly regained himself and glared at them the best he could. Then, remembering these were going to be his new classmates, softened his expression in hopes they meant no harm, though he kept his hand on his wand in his cloak pocket just in case.

"It seems to me that you are currently sitting in  _our_  compartment," the first boy sneered. He looked Harry's age if not older- he was built tall and stalky with fierce, brown eyes and dark blonde hair. Harry immediately pegged him by his tone as a hostile, so he continued his earlier icy glare.

"Funny, I didn't see anybody's name on it," Harry shrugged, gripping his wand tighter in his pocket. He didn't want to have to get expelled for using underage wizardry again before he even got to his new school. Then where would he go, considering Beauxbatons was a female academy?

"Are you questioning us? Who do you think you are?" a shorter, but fitter boy behind the lead one snapped through clenched teeth, narrowing his hazel eyes at Harry. They looked ready to pounce, like a herd of useless hyena's looking for prey. They kind-of reminded Harry of Malfoy and his goons...speaking of the devil himself...

"The question is," a familiar, silken voice sneered, "Who do you think  _you_  are, Rosenburg?" All three of the boys stiffened up and turned towards the new speaker, who was leaning nonchalantly against the doorway of the empty compartment opposite of Harry's. He held in place that familiar, alluring smirk as he crossed his arms, his index finger adorning the Malfoy family signet crest which the boys seemed to catch attention of that Malfoy seemed to be drawing their eyes to it, almost as a cold reminder of the power his name held.

Harry stood up from his seat with his fists balled at his side, "Get lost, Malfoy," he growled ferociously; he didn't want to have to deal with three wannabe Malfoy's and the real thing all at the same time.

Draco smirked and pushed himself off of the compartment door, his intense silver eyes pierced Harry's heated emerald ones with a startling, amused expression. Harry was stilled as Draco adressed the three boys, "I suggest you and your dogs run along now, Rosenburg,"

"Who says I've got to listen to you, Draco?" the boy proudly crossed his arms, and being taller than Draco he used this to his advantage and looked down his nose at him.

"Nyle, c'mon. Let's leave him alone," mumbled the one who hadn't spoken yet.

"Listen to Parkinson. We wouldn't want your Daddy to know you have been shoving your nose into things that don't concern you, now do we?" Draco threatened lightly, smirking larger at the flash of fear that crossed Nyle Rosenburg's eyes.

"You better watch your back, Malfoy. Whatever you're playing here won't get passed me," he snarled, "C'mon boys," he lead them out of the compartment, down the corridor of the train, fuming.

Harry was still staring at Draco with anger, but it softened as he was slightly appreciative of being rid of those other boys. "Shut your mouth. You look like a goldfish," Draco said with a sneer, but with a small teasing smirk following. It took Harry a minute to recover from that, as he had never had Malfoy of all people tease him playfully like he would a friend, it was simply unnerving. Draco slid down into the seat beside Hedwig, admiring the white owl in its slumber momentarily before crossing his legs and turning his attention back to Harry who was now glaring at him again. "What? I didn't know this seat had  _your_  name on it, Potter," Draco sneered, countering what he had said earlier.

Sighing, Harry dropped down into the seat across from the tall, striking blonde as he kept his wand steadily in his grip. Sirius' words rang in his head, nobody was to be trusted. "Who were those people and how come they listened to you?" Harry asked finally, breaking the tense, stiff silence.

Chuckling bemusedly, Draco shook his head causing small strands to fall before his eyes, "Sixth Years, Death Eater sons. Westen Rooch, Nyle Rosenburg and Hector Parkinson,"

"Pansy has a brother?" Harry inquired curiously.

"Oh no, cousins," Draco explained, "The only one you have to watch out for Potter, is Rosenburg. His Father is high up in the ranks and he was never a forgiving bastard, and considering what your parents did to his...well, let's say he will have a grudge for you,"

"What my parents-" Harry began and then shook his head, he shouldn't be sitting there having any kind of information session with Malfoy, it could all be some sort of elaborate ploy to get him to reveal explicit information about the location of the Order of The Pheonix or such things.

Not noticing his discomfort, Draco continued, "The most important people at Durmstrang to keep your eyes on are Igor Karkaroff, considering he is still an active Death Eater and the Headteacher. Greyback is the Dark Arts Professor...I think you may have heard of him before and then there's a couple of Seventh Years whom I am led to believe are officially initiated Death Eaters themselves. There are a few of my own second cousins from my Father's side I believe you should be thoroughly weary of as well, I will point them out at the Feast tomorrow evening," Draco explained almost flippantly, afterwards he took a relaxing breath and fluttered his eyes shut, stifling a yawn and getting more comfortable in his seat.

Harry was glaring at him coldly now, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing Malfoy? Coming here and telling me all these people I've gotta watch my back around when  _you're_  the most likely person to be up to something," he accused.

Draco slowly cocked open his eyes, "Am I, now? I may be up to something, Potter, but perhaps that  _something_  is highly beneficial to you," he smirked at the look of confusion on Harry's face. His Father never said he couldn't have some fun with his designated task.

Harry suddenly felt the want to slap that smirk off his classmates face, he thoroughly restrained himself from doing so. Draco had considered over many days the best possible way to go about his task and being forefront with Harry was his final decision. He was a Gryffindor, through and through, he was proud and noble, loyal and brave. If he knew the truth of why Draco was there, it would only make his own task easier to complete, "Besides, if anything... _dismal_  happens to you, I'll be dead. Quite literally. So you need not worry, now if you don't mind this train ride is over a day long and I would like to get my beauty rest," Draco grinned at how wide Harry's emerald eyes were, how his mouth was agape at his words and his brows furrowed in absolute, utter befuddlement. He kept that amusing image in his mind as he drifted off into a light sleep, keeping constantly cautious with his hand on his own wand in his cloak pocket. Constant vigilance. 

Harry's mind was reeling; what the hell did all that mean? He watched Draco until his breathing regulated and it was definite he was asleep, he then quietly manoeuvred to find his trunk and pull out a couple pieces of parchment and a quill to write to Sirius. He needed to know if he understood anything of what Draco had said to him. Why would he die if anything bad happened to Harry? It made no sense. Quickly jotting down the events on the train, as well as the names of the boys who earlier had bothered him wanting more information on their parents standings and history, Harry wrote in  the most sufficient code he could manage to Padfoot, signing it with his initials. He quietly prodded Hedwig awake, careful not to wake the sleeping ex-Slytherin, and gave her the letter and instructions of whom to give it to. She glared her amber eyes at him, not happy with being woken, but flew out of the compartment window which he quickly closed afterwards. Taking out the list of 'volatile' students that attended Durmstrang Institute and were considered to be Death Eater sons or Voldemort followers, Harry began to skim the names for reference. He attempted to memorize them all so that when he met them, he could be cautious right away instead of being weary of everybody which would get all too exhausting.

Not wanting to sleep in the presence of Malfoy, Harry tried hard to keep his mind focused on the names, but the hum on the steam train and the wind rattling softly against the window pane made the words on the parchment begin to blur, he yawned heavily and didn't even remember drifting into a sleep.

* * *

 

_The body was cold. Hard. Those eyes, once so alive with excitement, were dulled and empty. The lids lazily fell halfway across them. His limbs were heavy and limp, his chest didn't rise and fall as it should have been doing._

_The cool air of the night hissed around Harry's skin, he shivered as a sob raked through his entire body. "No, No, nooo...Cedric!" he cried, clinging to the chest of the fallen boy. But he didn't have the time to cling, or to be sorrowful over the boy because Lord Voldemort, in the arms of Peter Pettigrew, was approaching with a raised wand._

_Yet, in this dream version of the TriWizard Tournament events, Harry didn't let go of Cedric. He held onto his cold, dead body and cried his name out to the night in the lonely graveyard. He sobbed and shook with anger at himself for dragging him along to this place, wherever it was. If Harry hadn't asked him to take the cup with him at the same time, he would've been safe and only Harry would've died. He would be alive, he would still be breathing._

_"No, no, Cedric, please don't die...Cedric!"_

"Potter, bloody hell! Wake up!" Draco was shaking Harry vigorously, looking down with angry silver eyes with a flash of concern in them.

Harry jumped awake, his breathing heavy and his eyes wide and fearful. He knew the nightmare he awoke from and he knew it wasn't one he usually kept to himself. "Are you alright, Potter?"

"M'fine," he mumbled, angry at himself for being shown as even remotely weak in front of Malfoy. Silence fell around them and Harry felt Draco's eyes burning into him. He saw from the corner of his eye an odd look of curiosity that made him flush, his fists clenched as he stared hard at the compartment floor. He heard Draco slide into the seat opposite from him and he braced himself for mockery or questions, but they didn't come. It felt like hours before a small tapping rapped the window, Harry finally looked up from the ground and heavily avoided Malfoy's stone gaze which was still lazily set on him, watching him unnervingly, and saw Hedwig flapping beside the moving train. He let her in with a small smile.

"Hey, girl," he whispered lightly adoringly, attempting to ignore Malfoy's existence as he untied the letter on her talon. She hooted tiredly and flapped back into her cage after Harry pet her gently. 

"More fan mail?" Draco sneered, but when Harry looked up to shoot a glare he realized Malfoy was smirking bemusedly and it caught him off guard.

"Er, no, I...it's none of your business," he hardened up and cleared his throat, turning his attention to the small letter. Harry opened it up and saw only the smallest four words, scribbled hastily upon the parchment. He frowned down at Sirius' handwriting;  _Keep Your Eyes Open_. He stuffed it in his pocket. Why had the man even bothered to send such a short response? Did something perhaps go wrong? Malfoy observed the face of confusion and he found himself chuckling lowly.

"Problems with the Weasel? He's not going to breakup with you now that you've gone off to Dark Durmstrang, is he?" he mocked, crossing his arms and sticking his nose up.

 _Ah. And there's the Malfoy I live to hate._ "Sod off," Harry growled in response.

Once again, to Harry's surprise, Malfoy went silent. It was eerie, sharing a compartment with him on the way to Durmstrang, it was eerie that even if he did insult Harry it was more playful than it used to be. Before Malfoy had done it with the intent on hurting Harry, but now...now there was just playful amusement behind his words and something mirthful in his eyes when he said it. It really shook Harry up and confused him more about everything else. He definitely had to keep his sights on Malfoy that term, to say the least.

Sun had fallen beneath the now charcoal clouds, the stars barely shone through. Harry shivered in his seat, looking across as Hedwig slowly woke from her slumber. Still avoiding Malfoy, who was content sitting quietly staring out the window lost in thought. But that damn smirk was never gone, not in all those silent hours it still rested on his thin lips. It's like it was permanently stuck there, almost statuesquely. 

"See something you like, Potter?" Draco drawled, his eyes never leaving the half-moon in the sky.

"I-" Harry stuttered but then shut his mouth, turning his attention back to Hedwig deciding not to give Malfoy the satisfaction. He leaned forward to reach into the cage and pet her softly. She cooed and pushed into his hand, he smiled. For the next four months she would be his only friend, his only companion he could come to and confide in. 

"The train ride is long. I will be retiring now, for we have till tomorrow noon until we arrive at Durmstrang,"

"It takes that long?" Harry gawked, he had known the Institute was far from Kings Cross but...that far on train?

"It's in the mountains, so quite cold," Draco commented, slowly lying down on the seat and shutting his eyes, "Goodnight, Potter. Oh, and do try not to wake me again," he said, smirking once again.

Harry glared at the still body, but once he saw the blonde's chest rise and fall steadily it fell. He observed the sleeping boy for awhile, before his own eyes began to tire. But it was perplexing, just how comfortable Malfoy was to be able to fall asleep in front of him, alone in a compartment. Harry could curse him, hex him. How was he so automatically trusting? It was incredulously stupid for a Slytherin, of all people, to do.

Harry sighed and decided to follow the others advice, he didn't want his first day to be more befuddling than it already would be with a complete lack of sleep.

* * *

 

"Potter,"

"Potter,"

"Potter," Malfoy whispered. He was kneeling in front of the brunette, jabbing him lightly with the end of his wand in his abdomen. "Oh, for fucks sake," he groaned and finally shook him hard, "Harry, get the bloody hell up!" Draco bellowed in his ear.

Harry woke to a start, he was up with his wand out quicker than Draco had seen anybody react, he backed up immediately and put up his hands in defense. "Are you always this touchy in the morning?" he smirked. Harry blinked a few times, blushed, and shoved his wand back into his pocket. He didn't say anything as he turned to look out the window. The scenery had greatly changed and there most definitely had to be a warming charm put on the entire train because it didn't look as hot outside. Snow blanketed the ground everywhere, all the trees were barren. Dead. He didn't like this place already, wherever he was. But when he looked across at Draco who was also looking outside now, he held a distinguished expression of adoration.

"Best put on our robes. Should be there in an hour at most," Draco said, breaking the silence. He turned to look back at Harry but that expression didn't fade.

Harry faltered slightly, "You like it here? Place looks too cold," he shivered at the thought of all that snow. Even at Hogwarts they didn't get weather like that in the midst of winter.

"I have always liked the cold," he smiled softly, and then stood up. Without another word he left the compartment and didn't look back.

' _What is with Malfoy? What in Merlin's name is he plotting here? Once I'm at school, I should stay as faraway from him as possible, keep an eye on him from a distance. Him and that Rosenburg guy,_ ' Harry vowed to himself.

A few minutes later, Draco came back inside in his new school uniform. The thick black cloak, lined with wolf's fur inside and on the rim, clung to him. He must have gotten it hemmed, for Harry knew his cloaks didn't fit quite like that. His frail, lean figure was still visible through even the large, fur capped boots. Clenched in his pale white hand was the trademark Durmstrang hat. For some reason, Harry couldn't help but think that Draco looked much more appropriate in this uniform than he ever did at Hogwarts.

Harry realized he had been staring at Draco as the blonde slid back into his seat to admire the scenery once again as the train continued its slow climb up the steep mountain, trekking upwards. He averted his gaze and silently cursed his damned luck.

This was going to be one hell of a term.

* * *

 

 _And I still believe in nothing  
_ _Will we ever see the cure for our sorrow  
_ _Nothing is sacred when no one is saved  
_ _Nothing's forever so count your days  
_ _Nothing is final and no one is real  
_ _Pray for tomorrow and find you're empty still.  
_ _Nothing._


	4. Pulling On A Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Pulling On A Line  
> By: Great Lake Swimmers

_The line runs through like a train in a book  
_ _Or metres underwater, ending with a hook  
_ _It sways in the air when there's wind enough to lift,  
_ _The fine ones are boundaries when  
_ _There is a rift I'm just pulling on a line,  
_ _on a line I'm just pulling on a line  
_ _I'm just pulling on a line, on a line  
_ _Sometimes it pulls on me  
_ _The line, it inks across the freshly fallen snow,  
_ _Where only those embracing coldness would go  
_ _It whistles and it whispers, and sometimes it howls,  
_ _It sings to me sweetly from the trees and in vowels_

* * *

 

The Entrance Hall was much less grand than at Hogwarts; it held only one statue of the Durmstrang Institute founder with a small plaque beneath it. The ceiling was tall and gothic and the marble floors were of a dark, dull grey that almost resembled charcoal. Upon entering the Mass Hall, Harry was not as nearly impressed as he had been in First Year. There were three long House tables and the Staff one as well. Large, dangling chandeliers of pillar candles lit the hall along with tall, iron barred windows. It illy reminded him of a prison. Hogwarts had such a natural homey feeling to it, even just its décor. Whereas Durmstrang held inside its boundaries such gloominess and the school was so obviously built around a heavily academic environment. Not many students were smiling and joking about, but they all sat with perfect posture in their fur-lined uniforms.

Malfoy tugged harshly at Harry's robes.

"This way Potter," he muttered, and, head held high, he led the way to the front of the Hall. Many students eyes followed the two with icy and calculative glares and Harry was surprised that not all of them were directed at him.

He thought of this as jealousy, the other wannabe Death Eaters envious of Malfoy's clear cut rank above them all and of course being from one of the wealthiest most aristocratic pureblooded Wizarding families of all time, he must have been like an icon to the others. Or so Harry thought. Because in some of those glares it was much more than envy, it was pure malice and a thirst for revenge. Harry thought to himself just how many students in that room had parents that worked for or supported Voldemort. Not only that, but students whose families were immediately effected by the actions of his own parents during the height of the last Rise of The Dark Lord. It unnerved him.

He found himself in a mess of mostly First Years alongside Draco who stood rather properly, looking out at the statue placed before the Staff Table. Harry took a good look at it for the first time, eyeing it with slight curiosity. It was a double-headed Eagle with its wings spread out, holding a large bowl of water-like liquid in its talons. Igor Karkaroff stood at the Staff Table and any of those who had been previously speaking automatically stopped as all attention was turned to him. "Welcome back to another year at Durmstrang Institute for Magic, m'boys," he grinned. His heavy accent made it so that Harry had to strain to understand him, but Malfoy seemed not to be having a problem, nor did any of the other students.

"The rules are the same as our previous years together, but I must once again solidify the most important regulations we follow here at Durmstrang for our First Years. Our curfew is nine in the evening every night and failure to comply will result in severe punishment to any wrongdoer. I wish you all luck in your studies," Igor tightened his lips, his hands held at the middle clenched around themselves, "This year, we have two transfer students joining us from Hogwarts School of Wtichcraft and Wizardry. We will do to sort them first...Professor Banesworth, if you would do the honours," Igor slowly lowered himself back to his seat.

A very large, rounded man with a long, greying beard dressed in expensive, black velvet robes jostled forward from the Staff Table. He was smirking madly and had a mirthful look in his eyes that Harry didn't quite approve of, especially since it was directed specifically at him. In the man's large hands was a small chalice that looked about to break between his sausage fingers. "Mister Harry Potter," the man croaked out in a deep, thunderous voice. Harry stiffened and cleared his face of all emotion. Of course he was nervous, shaking to the bone and scared as hell. This was the second time he had to be sorted into a House and he was not thrilled especially with so many people glaring at him with such hatred. He had to keep up a strong front though at all times. He had to make it seem like he was strong, unable to be phased and unbeatable. Even small moments like this, when he was on display in front of the student body, were what Sirius' lessons were for. To prepare him to perform a gracious, grand act that would hopefully save his life.

He stood in front of Professor Banesworth, who was grinning largely now, "Well, take the cup," he sniggered, shoving the chalice into Harry's hands. Harry tried his best not to glare at the Professor as he took the cup and dipped it into the water the Eagle held. All eyes were looking expectantly upon him as he slowly brought the liquid to his lips.

Harry swallowed it and immediately warmth shot through his system and his skin began to crawl and tingle. Sparks shot up from the top of his head and overhead, written now in the air was the word in dark navy blue,  _Aequor_. Harry immediately searched the three tables before him and found the one whose crests were embroidered in navy blue. He then looked down at his own Durmstrang crest on his uniform and found that it had transformed itself to resemble it. Harry was officially apart of Durmstrang now. No longer was he a brave Gryffindor, but he was a cunning Aequor. The House of the Sea. He had read about it when doing his research on the Dark Arts school, and he also knew that this was the House he most definitely would be the least safe in. The students in this House were to be the worst of the worst. Much like the Slytherins back at Hogwarts. He cursed his luck that there was no arguing with a chalice and water as he had done with the Sorting Hat all those years ago.

Grudgingly, but without appearing as such, Harry strode without a word over to his new House Table and choose to sit down as faraway from everybody as humanly possible, purposefully segregating himself. He glanced across at the other House tables; the House of Land, Solum, and the House of Sky, Caelum. The House of Land was known to be people very logical in nature, very grounded and thoughtful, whereas the House of Sky were known to be astrologers, people with an expanded Third Eye ability and most were dreamers, Seers, and heavily versed in Divination. Harry would have given anything to be in one of those Houses.

Instead he was stuck in Aequor. The ones beneath the land, the snakes and the fish. The sneaky ones, extremely talented in Dark Arts of all kinds. Nyle Rosenburg and his group were all apart of the House of Sea. Harry was thankful they were a Year ahead of him, so at least he wouldn't have to share a dormitory with the slimy bastards.

"Mister Draco Malfoy," Professor Banesworth called out now. A few whispers were heard at the name but the platinum-haired youth seemed unaffected as he strode up to the Professor and bowed his head slightly in greeting. Malfoy and Banesworth spoke lowly to one another, nobody else could hear. Harry raised his eyebrow at that as he watched Draco finally take the chalice and drink the liquid. As the words sparkled over Draco's head, Harry couldn't help but to groan aloud and slam his head down onto the wooden table which received him many questioning looks from the other boys whom sat as distanced from his as possible.

Draco slid into the seat opposite of Harry with a victorious smirk, "Thought you could get rid of me that easily Potter?" he drawled amusedly.

"This fucking sucks," Harry muttered darkly, resting his face in his hands with his elbows propped up on the tabletop. It took quite the effort for Malfoy to suppress his chuckle, but he did remembering that he had to at least attempt in the slightest of ways to stay on Harry's good side. It was his duty to get the brunette to trust him, to be able to allow him to keep him safe and to keep him from harm's way. Not only did Harry's life depend on this, but so did Draco's. This thought nagged in the blonde's head every second of the day since his Father made him take that cursed Unbreakable Vow.

Dinner passed uneventfully and as it came to an end, Draco stood and eyed Harry, "I was brought here many times during my childhood. Would you like me to show you around so you don't get your thick self lost?" he teased.

Harry glared upwards, "Shove off,"

Draco shrugged, "It is not half the size of Hogwarts- no moving staircases to befuddle you either, Potty. Come on, or else you will never find the dormitory," he shoved his hands in his pockets and began walking out the Hall without looking back to see if Harry was indeed following. He smirked to himself when he entered the Entrance Hall and he heard Harry breathing heavily beside him from catching up. He knew Potter all too well, it seemed. "Have you got your timetable, then?" Draco asked, wanting just to show Potter the key points of the Castle as it was already quarter past eight. They could not be late for curfew, especially on their first night at Durmstrang. He understood just how dire the consequences were at the Institute compared to having points deducted or detention at Hogwarts.

Harry grumbled something unintelligible beneath his breath that made Draco smirk as he reached into his cloak pocket and retrieved a crumpled piece of paper. He shoved it into Draco's hands, not wanting to be in contact with him more than he had to. "Right then, this way," Draco said, leading the way immediately to the dungeons.

The entirety of the school was so dour in Harry's opinion, though Draco seemed appreciative of it all. There was a severe lack of portraits and statues, and everything had a 15th century Gothic feel to it. Almost like a sorrowful cathedral more than a school. At a quarter to nine, Draco had completed his tour which Harry had been silent for the entire time of, dragging his feet with his hands in his pockets and his head hung.

"Why the frown, Potter?" Draco finally asked as they came to what was apparently their new Common Room. Instead of portrait holes, Durmstrang had archways that only permitted students of that household and all staff personnel into the area. Like an extremely specific ward. Inside the Common Room there was little comfortable sitting areas and more work tables than anything else, which Harry was thoroughly surprised to see students already with their study books out - before classes even began! It made him think that Hermione might like this school more than he ever could. He found himself pushing that thought quickly out of his head, not wanting to think of his friends as he would miss them too much too soon.

"I'm with you, aren't I?" Harry said between his gritted teeth.

Malfoy chuckled and Harry was surprised to see a small smile on his lips. ' _Malfoy smiling. It takes a little getting used to, not that it's a bad thing_ ,' he found himself absently thinking, and then shaking the thought quickly from his obviously delusional head.

"Well, get used to it. Because you're stuck with me all day and night, Potter. That is, of course, until we spring you," he winked and chuckled more as utter confusion was written across Harry's face. He had been causing him to have that expression quite often lately.

" _We_   **spring**   _me_?" he hissed.

"Yes, what else do you think I am doing here? Gods, you're so thick you have not even figured it out yet then? I have no idea why my Father has such faith in an imbecile like you," Draco said more playfully than hurtfully as he shook his head, making sure that there were no craning ears trying to eavesdrop around them. Everybody was all too consumed in their studies to care.

Before Harry could respond or retort, or even collect his thoughts which were suddenly scattered everywhere manageable, a boy in Fifth Year as well appeared with two others at his side. He had long, shaggy, dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes and was eyeing Draco heavily. Behind him was two brunette's that looked identical with light hazel eyes.

"Chester Dorschter, if I am not mistaken?" Draco said, putting on a small smile and extending his hand in greeting.

The blonde boy shook it tentatively and pursed his lips, "Yes, that is I. This is Migel and Quinton Longley," he introduced the two who smiled blindingly at the newest House members.

"Pleasure," Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

"Nice to meet you," Harry smiled, from what he knew both those last names were not associated with Voldemort, though he needed to be constantly suspicious he still needed to make friends whilst he was there unless he wanted to go completely nutters spending all of his time with Malfoy. The mere thought wrenched his stomach.

"Likewise, Harry," chimed both the twins at the same time, reminding Harry of Fred and George which made him grin lopsidedly.

"We'll be your bunkmates. There's Shaun Davidson and Mackey Rostch in our Year too, but they've got their own dormitory now to make room for you. M'afraid they won't be as welcoming," Chester winked.

"Malfoy, a word," a dark voice suddenly appeared from behind Harry and Draco. They turned to face a tall, lean boy who seemed to be in Seventh Year.

"Weston. Yes, of course," Draco's entire posture stiffened and he slowly cocked his head to the other boys in their Year without taking his eyes off the older one. "Boys, could you all be dears and show Potty here to the dorm? I'm afraid he's not the quickest and he might get lost on the way,"

"Ah, piss off Malfoy," Harry growled defensively, but upon hearing the other three chuckle he relaxed. Maybe not everybody in this school were a bunch of Slytherin snakes. 

"Right this way, Harry, mate!"

"We'll make you feel right at home," the twins said. Draco waited until he was sure that the four had departed and then turned his full attention to Weston.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Weston glared down at Draco, "I know He returns and I know where you stand. What are your plans with Potter? Why be so close to him?" he questioned.

Draco sighed, "Weston, do not stick your nose where it does not belong or He will not be pleased. I have my duties to fulfil and you clearly have yours," he hissed and with that turned on his heel and walked towards the only staircase at the other end of the room where the four had disappeared to just a moment before.

Up the staircase passed five dormitory doors, Draco finally found himself at the right one and was surprised when he stepped inside to see Harry on his new four-poster bed, laughing mercilessly. Draco smirked bemusedly and raised his eyebrow as he stepped inside. He never did get to see Potter appear so enjoyable so close, it was definitely a new sight to behold. 

"We didn't do it," The twins said in unison, smirking largely at the laughing Harry who had tears rolling down his face as he clutched his sides.

"P-please, make it s-s-s-top!" Harry laughed loudly, barking, twisting and turning on his bed sheets which were all dark navy and lined in gold, matching the hangings.

"Oh, fine!  _Finite,"_ Quinton grinned as the tickling hex lifted from Harry who finally relaxed on the bed, his limbs spread out. Draco shook his head.

"Told yah we'd make you loosen up, Harry!" Migel chimed grinning.

"The Great Wonder Boy, succumbed by the Tickling Hex," Draco announced dramatically, making the other three chortle as Harry glared icily at him but said nothing.

"Best be off to sleep, the first days always the worst. I promise," Chester said darkly, the twins nodded in agreement. The boys set about getting ready for bed, all dressing into their pyjama's and preparing their things for the first official day of term.

As Harry lay beneath his covers he turned on his left side and was faced by Draco, who was lying on his right side. They locked eyes momentarily and said nothing, they didn't glare, but just acknowledged one another blankly. "Goodnight Harry," Draco whispered, before letting his eyes flutter shut.

It was hard to go to sleep for Harry once again, in this strange new place with all these untrusted people around. Though he was grateful the boys in his year seemed, for the most part, much less intense and more welcoming than the rest of the House was, he still couldn't put his faith in them. He still had his Dark Detectors Sirius had given him before he left nearby in his dresser drawer just in case, but none of them were going off. The most unnerving thing that was keeping him awake that night was the image of Draco sleeping with the small moonlight spilling in from the window falling down on the blonde's pale face.

As Harry watched Draco soundly sleep, it was hard not to be reminded of an angel.

* * *

 

_The line, it writes itself across the dark sky,  
_ _In the electric flushes ending with a sigh  
_ _It weaves itself into a fabric so true  
_ _and flows just like the river, graceful and blue.  
_ _I'm just pulling on a line, on a line  
_ _I'm just pulling on a line  
_ _I'm just pulling on a line, on a line  
_ _But sometimes it pulls on me._


	5. I Believe In You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: I Believe In You  
> By: Il Divo

_Lonely, the path you have chosen  
_ _A restless road, no turning back  
_ _One day you will find your light again  
_ _Don't you know? Don't let go, be strong.  
_ _Follow your heart  
_ _Let your love lead through the darkness  
_ _Back to a place you once knew  
_ _I believe, I believe, I believe in you_

* * *

 

It was eerie, much unlike Hogwarts in every way, that much was simple to tell when Harry spent his first breakfast in Durmstrang's Mass Hall. He was leaning wearily on his hand, poking the eggs on his plate and promptly ignoring his new acquaintances around him. Chester and the twins were talking rather animatedly about their upcoming studies (why Fifth Years would be so excited about classes was beyond Harry's thoughts). When he had awoken that morning, he was still oddly facing Draco's bed but found it perfectly made and emptied. When he had asked where the ex-Slytherin was, nobody seemed to know. His absence at breakfast confused Harry, but he tried not to think too hard on it.

But what he couldn't seem to get out of his head were a couple of things Malfoy had said to him the previous day. About 'springing him' from Durmstrang, or about how he couldn't understand how his Father had faith in him. The blonde's words and Harry's knowledge on the Malfoys were now constantly running through his head, and he was trying to make sense of it all. He was also trying tirelessly to determine just how good of a liar Draco really was. Now of all times, as Lord Voldemort has returned, Harry needed as many people close to him as he could trust with his life - especially if he was going to be sharing a room with them. Back at Hogwarts, that would not have been a problem whatsoever, but here it made things so much more difficult. Finding where Malfoy stood and what his plans were in attending Durmstrang that term was at the top of Harry's priority list now that he was bunking with him.

"Dozing off already, Potter? Not the best way to start the first day, now is it?" Malfoy drawled from behind, making Harry jump and turn in his seat to look up at him smirking downwards with his arms crossed.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked.

Draco raised an eyebrow delicately, "If I had known you were so concerned of my whereabouts, I would have left a note, Mommy," he teased, causing Harry to turn bright red and the other three boys to chortle amusedly. He slid down to sit beside Harry, "I was out for a walk all morning, exploring parts of the grounds I had not been before. Got a tad lost, but here I am, so no need to get your knickers in a bunch," he winked.

Harry blushed deeper and turned his attention back to his meal. He didn't know what to make of Malfoy's absence and the excuse for it; truth...or was there some hidden meaning behind it all? Who the hell would enjoy walking out in the freezing cold, snowy weather? "The Dark Arts are first thing- ready to impress them with all with your ways?" Malfoy grinned.

"Impress them? Riight..." Harry sighed, trying to scream at his brain to promptly ignore the fact that Malfoy of all people was actually complimenting him and his ability in some shape or form.

"Yes, what have you got in store for us then?" Chester chagrined brightly from across the table, the twins nudging one another and smiling.

As the three Aequors returned to their meal, Malfoy leaned in closely, "Fenrir Greyback is the Dark Arts Professor. You know who he is?" he whispered seriously.

Harry didn't bother responded as he slowly nodded. Ron had thoroughly warned him about Fenrir; he may not have been high up in Voldemort's command but he was still an extremely volatile werewolf, unlike Remus, who was controllable and sometimes, if he had taken his Wolfbane, kind during transformations. Harry had a feeling that albeit a full moon or not, Greyback would not hesitate to rip his throat off.

As they left breakfast and walked to Dark Arts, Harry ignoring the usual heavy glances as he trotted along behind his house mates who all had the same lesson plan, Malfoy stuck unusually close to his side. Neither spoke the entire way through the corridors and up the unmoving staircases to the third floor where the Dark Arts classroom was located.

They entered and Harry took the first available seat at the dark, oak two-person tables at the very back of the room. Migel and Quinton sat in front of him whereas, of course, Malfoy slid down beside him. He didn't comment as he realized he had to get used to the blonde's constant presence in his life these days- it was as if it were impossible for Harry to shake him. It wasn't quite so annoying, just unnerving. Harry was glad he had the general company of somebody he knew in the slightest, even if it was somebody he knew in vain.

"Settle down. Books out. Page twenty-seven. Quills ready," a deep, husky voice growled from the side room of the classroom. All of the students were quick to oblige as Greyback appeared from his office. He was quite large in size, with a grizzly sort of look and his hair was uncombed and long. His eyes were sunken far in, his long nails housed by thick, wrinkled fingers. His condition made him look much older, and fiercer, than he was. "This year, there will be no room for mistakes or lessons missed. This is the year for your OWLs, understood?" he snapped. Everybody nodded, but nobody spoke a word. Malfoy was already furiously scribbling down notes on his parchment (Harry hadn't a clue what about) while he sat, silently eyeing Greyback. "We will be reading and discussing the Iron Lung and other such nasty but useful curses today and all that we speak of must be perfected by our next lesson on Thursday afternoon," Greyback explained. Back at Hogwarts, the students would have groaned in response, but here they merely jotted it down...some even looking  _excited_  about it. "Can anybody tell me what the Iron Lung does? Ah, yes, our newest students, wonderful! Draco, so wonderful to see you again,"

"As it is you, Professor," Draco said stiffly, straightening up perfectly in his seat.

"And how is your dear old man doing?"

"Quite well," he pursed his lips, not enjoying being singled out and asked about his home life in front of an entire class of Fifth Years. "You were asking the definition of the effects of the Iron Lung curse, sir?"

"Yes, please do share with those too incompetent to understand Mister Malfoy," Greyback grinned, his yellowed teeth showing. Draco sighed and took a deep breath.

"The Iron Lung is a curse that suffocates the one it is placed on by closing up their air passage. The caster can, if skilled enough, make their death take hours, days, minutes, seconds, or they can just make it temporary suffocation. An immediate result takes a powerful Wizard,"

"Exactly. Now, as this is advanced magic, I would doubt any of you would know how to do it..." he turned his back to the class, staring off towards his desk determinedly before suddenly stopping and turning on his heel with a wicked gleam in his eyes, "Oh! But there is  _somebody_  in this room whom is well versed in advanced dark magic, is there not? Mister Potter, can you perform the Iron Lung?" Fenrir spat his name, narrowing his eyes to slits towards the brunette at the back of the classroom who glared darkly back.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat as all eyes turned on him now, even Draco's. "I can," he grit out.

Greyback seemed surprised by this momentarily as he paused, mouth slightly ajar before he began smiling manically once again, "Come up to the front an-an-an-" Greyback stuttered and began to cough lightly. Suddenly his ravaged hands flew up to this throat and clasped either side of it. His eyes widened as he stared breathlessly, literally, at Harry who was slouching back in his seat with his wand twirling between his fingertips underneath his desk.

"Harry, did you-" Malfoy started, but soon got his answer at the slightest flick of Harry's wrist as the curse was lifted from Greyback who inhaled deeply, coughing loudly as he exhaled. Everybody was shocked, though most hid it well, Harry Potter, the Golden Boy, was so quick and easy to attack a Professor, even if it was what he was asking for?

Once the Professor regained himself, Harry was aware that everybody was still looking expectantly at him as if they wanted an explanation. "They teach non-verbal magic at Hogwarts?" Greyback scowled disapprovingly.

"No,"

"Then how did you perform the Iron Lung, an excruciatingly exhausting curse even for the most advanced of dark wizards, without a word and barely a movement Potter?" Greyback demanded angrily. Harry merely shrugged in his seat.

 _'This is what he wanted. It's what they all wanted. Me to show my ability. Make it appear like it's nothing, make them think I'm something better than I am then maybe they'll leave me alone. Maybe it'll make me safer_ ,' Harry thought dully to himself.

"Because he's Harry-bloody-Potter, that's how," Malfoy mumbled, but still loud enough for all to hear him. Migel and Quinton chuckled at Harry who was grateful for their light attitude on the situation. Greyback said no more and went on with his lesson, promptly ignoring Harry's presence for the rest of it unlike all of his other students who continued to stare in awe, envy or anger at him. Harry fidgeted for the remainder of class, but it wasn't because of the students looking at him- it was because of Malfoy looking at him with what seemed like admiration - an emotion he thought he could never pull out of the Ice Prince.

After class, they all filed out the doors and into the dark corridor. "Potions is next," Malfoy stated absently.

"What are you playing at? How come our schedules match?" Harry asked chidingly.

Malfoy shot him a sidelong glance, "If you had paid me any attention at Hogwarts, they matched there, too. I think you were just too busy letting the Weasel's brainwashing ideas about me form your opinion," he seethed.

"Hey! Don't call him that, and I was not! I paid you plenty of damned attention at Hogwarts!" Harry retorted dejectedly and then blushed deeply when he realized what he had said and the implication of it.

"Oh, did you now, Potty?" Malfoy teased, raising an eyebrow, not giving up an opportunity to embarrass Harry. He had always enjoyed doing that for the past five years; to watch Harry squirm beneath his gaze albeit in anger, frustration or pure uneasy embarrassment. The thing Malfoy liked the most about it was that he was the only one that could seem to do it right. Hit the right chord in Harry to make him blush that deeply that his eyes turned bright red. Nobody else could get under his skin like he could, and he took pride in being that person.

Migel and Quinton came up on either side of the two, throwing their arms cheerily about their shoulders, "Quarrelling like an old married couple!"

"How smashing!"

Malfoy quickly detached himself from Migel and scowled, "Do refrain from dirtying my robes," he hissed.

The day dragged by unceremoniously slow for Harry. The entire time, Malfoy barely spoke a word to anybody. He only did when spoken to and did so respond in as few of words as he could. It wasn't like him to not speak, from the years that Harry had known him. He was a talker, a leader, and a loud prat that liked to constantly boost and chide. Asides from the lavatory, Malfoy had not left Harry's side the entire time. Finally by the end of the evening as the two sat at a study table in the Aequor Common Room, Harry lost his patience. He had been writing a letter to Ron and Hermione, asking them about any news, how Sirius was keeping, along with describing Durmstrang and Malfoy's odd behvaviour. He thrust down his quill, nearly snapping it in two, and turned toward Malfoy who looked up slowly from his Dark Arts textbook.

"What the bloody hell is it, Malfoy?" Harry demanded loudly, causing most occupants of the silent room to look curiously their way, "It's one thing to follow me constantly, which I think may be termed  _stalking_  and is illegal, but the silent treatment on top of that is killing me! So what is it, huh? What's your issue with me?" he growled, fists clenched on the table top.

Malfoy suddenly stood and looked down at him pointedly, "Come," he said, walking towards the dormitory stairs. Harry had no other choice but to follow, though he did so loudly as if he were throwing a tantrum. Once they were alone, the door locked and a heavy Silencio cast on the room, Malfoy turned to Harry and for the first time they had known one another in five years, his solid mask fell completely.

"I am beginning to feel that my Father is right about you. I am beginning to have faith in you and thinking that perhaps this Unbreakable Vow may be worth something more important than my life,"

There. He had said it. But it wasn't his words that were throwing Harry completely off, but the doubtless truthfulness of them. The way Malfoy stood halfway across the dormitory, his arms lay almost defeated at his sides instead of defensively across his chest as they usually did. His soft silver eyes were for once not narrowed at Harry, but merely observing him thoughtfully. Harry began feeling his cheeks warming up, seeing as he had come to the realization he was staring at Malfoy who was blatantly staring right back. He averted his gaze to the ground, "What Unbreakable Vow?" he mumbled.

"The one I made with my Father a fortnight ago. A Vow outlining my duties as his son; to keep you safe and protected and bring you back to Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's protection, as soon as possible and alive. If anything were to happen to you, Harry," he said his name softly, taking a step forward imploringly and locking eyes with him, staring deeply into the jaded emerald, "I would give my life," Draco finished firmly.

If there were words one was supposed to respond to that, Harry really did not have them at the time. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unable to remove his eyes from Draco's. It was too much all at once, and still he had no idea how to tell if Draco was being truthful or if he was a really great actor. But something about him seemed so vulnerable at the time and for once Harry felt like Draco was being more real than he ever really had in his entire life. "W-what's worth more than your life?" Harry stuttered, trying to distract himself with useless questions that would get him nowhere. He just needed something to take his mind off of Malfoy being only a foot away from himself, Malfoy looking so pretty in his vulnerable, mask-less state. Not to mention the way his silver eyes were piercing through Harry.

Draco sighed and broke the contact, he turned on his heel and with his back to Harry he crossed his arms once again, "There are just some things that are worth dying for," he said softly, slowly walking towards the dormitory door. He took out his wand and lifted the Silencio charm, unlocked the door and placed his hand on it, "And you are one of them," he added and then slipped out of the door before Harry could even register what he had said.

Harry's mind was a mess, with so much all at once he couldn't think of anything to do but to sleep. He needed some sort of clarity, because at that moment it had all felt like a hazy, strange dream. Why had Malfoy said those things? Did he really make the Unbreakable Vow with his Father to keep Harry safe? Would he really willingly die for him?  _Why?_ Questions burned in Harry's skull that he did his best to shove out, and eventually sleep overtook him and thankfully it was before Draco returned to the dormitory an hour later. And when he did, he peered quickly through Harry's hangings and found himself smiling gently down at the resting boy. Draco even did so much to reach out and take Harry's rounded, broken glasses off his face and place them on his bedside table.

When he lay to sleep, he made sure to sleep on his side in which he was able to see Harry from across the aisle. He wanted to wake up that way, with the first thing he saw in the morning being Harry's safe and sleeping form.

* * *

 

_Follow your dreams  
_ _Be yourself, an angel of kindness  
_ _There's nothing that you cannot do  
_ _I believe, I believe, I believe in you._


	6. Count On Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Count On Me  
> By: Default

_I know that life ain't always good to you.  
_ _I've seen exactly what it's put you through  
_ _Thrown you around and turned you upside down and so you  
_ _You got to thinking there was no way out  
_ _You started sinking and it pulled you down  
_ _It may be tough you've got to get back up  
_ _Because you know that life ain't over yet  
_ _I'm here for you so don't forget  
_ _You can count on me  
_ _Cause I will care you till you carry on.  
_ _Any time you need someone  
_ _Somebody strong to lean on  
_ _Well you can count on me  
_ _To hold you till the healing is done  
_ _And every time you fall apart  
_ _Well you can hide here in my arms  
_ _And you can count on me  
_ _To hold you till that feeling is gone._

* * *

 

First, he began to hear what was around him; soft footsteps on marble floor in the distance, sounding like a hollow room. There was the light breathing of somebody nearby. The footsteps came closer. He tried to open his eyes, but to no avail, as they felt heavy as lead. So he listened as voices began to murmur beside him.

"Have you figured it out yet, Madame Sephiroa?" a soft but deep voice asked, dripping with concern.

"No, I am afraid not. The Headmaster has been alerted of the dire situation and he will be outsourcing for further research. I believe Professor Greyback's library collection should be of great assistance as w-"

"I have seen his books before. Father made me study them as a child and they are nothing compared to my library. Please, send somebody there to search. You have my permission and undoubtedly my Father's as well," he firmly said. There was a few seconds of silence as Harry still listened in, although his head was throbbing and felt as though it was splitting in two which he just ignored.

"Lucius is not keen upon invasion, if I remember him correctly," the elder witch said through tight lips, "But if you say so, then I shall send Fenrir and Igor there as well. If you can remember anything more about what happen-"

"I have already told you everything I know!" snapped the boy icily, "Please, just fix him," he added in a hiss.

"You would do well to watch your tongue, boy," Madame Sephiroa growled before turning on her heel as her footsteps echoed further away from Harry's bedside.

It was hard to tell whose voices were present, but Harry could understand that they weren't going to speak again after a few moments of passing silence. He tried once more to open his eyes, to move, but found himself too numb to do so. So he succumbed to the pain in his head and drifted off once again.

The next time he awoke he felt fingers intertwining with his left hand. They were warm, slender fingers that seemed to fit perfectly in the spaces between his own. The soft skin of the pad of the thumb began to caress the back of his cold, stiff hand. It was soothing, relaxing and comforting all at once. The headache seemed much more at ease than before, though it was still evident. Harry tried to open his eyes again, but once more it didn't work. He became inwardly frustrated and his breathing turned ragged, but soon thinned out once again. So he concentrated on the hand in his own, still softly petting him.

"Please be okay, Harry. Please," that same voice begged. Such a voice Harry was certain he could be safe in the company of, a voice he knew meant something to him. With that and the feeling of safety, Harry fell back into a slumber hoping next time he awoke his body would listen to him.

Thankfully, the first thing Harry did when he stirred was blink open his eyes. Immediately there was a flood of light that stung him and he hissed. He was looking straight up at a pure white ceiling. All the walls were white as well and he noticed he was in a small, iron hospital bed that was uncomfortably jabbing into his back. It must have been daytime, as sun was pouring in through tall, untainted windows. Noticeably, the same hand was held a little loosely in his own. No longer was he feeling it being caressed, but the hand was still there and that small comfort was all that mattered. Harry turned to look at the person occupying the chair by his bedside and was surprised to see Malfoy's head resting on the back of a large armchair. He seemed to be resting, though not so peacefully as his brows were furrowed together in a kind of cute, concerned fashion. Harry smiled to himself. It was hard to explain why he would be happy that Malfoy was there, holding his hand as he lay in the Hospital Wing. Or that obviously the boy had been there earlier, greatly concerned about his well being. Although Harry was thoroughly confused about what had happened to land him in there in the first place, he was glad somebody was at his bedside and for some reason he couldn't grasp he didn't mind that it was Malfoy.

Then the headache began to throb harder and he groaned, it was probably because he wasn't wearing his glasses as well. His groaning immediately jumped Malfoy awake and the blonde quickly retracted his hand as he shot up in his seat. He rubbed at his eyes wearily and eyed Harry who was staring blankly back at him. Malfoy turned to the bedside table and grabbed a vial of dark, purple potion and handed it to Harry who slowly uncorked it. "For the headache, which I must say you do have," he explained, and Harry needed no further explanation as he downed the vial. Immediately a sensation washed over his head that cooled it, the headache numbing at long last.

"What happened?" he croaked, his throat dry as if he hadn't used it in days.

"We are not entirely certain. What is the last thing you remember?"

"Not certain? Uhm...I dunno, I remember...breakfast in the Mess Hall on Friday. Yeah, that's the last thing I remember," Harry nodded slowly, knitting his brows as he attempted to recall.

"Thought as much," Malfoy sighed and leaned forward, his elbows on the edge of the bed as he rested his forehead on his hands rubbing at his temples gently, "Out in the corridor after breakfast you were accosted it seemed but by who we have no idea. The most likely suspect is Rosenburg but we have not any evidence on him. You were hit with the Iron Lung, severely, but that is not the worst of it. There was some other dark curse set on you that made all your eternal organs begin to bleed out. We still have no idea what it was, but we are looking. It might give us a clue who did it...but Madame Sephiroa believes you are fixed. You just needed rest to rejuvenate," Malfoy explained and then let out a deep breath.

Harry blinked a few times, "Oh," he eventually said, which received him a highly raised eyebrow.

"Oh? That's it, is it- just "oh"? You almost died! You have been in a coma for seven days!" Malfoy hissed incredulously.

"S-seven days?" Harry stuttered, really it had only felt like he had slept a night or two at the most, "I-I must have missed so much in class!" he groaned, thrusting his head backwards onto the pillow once more. The mere thought of all of the homework he would have to catch up on was enough to send him back into a coma.

"You are worried about what you missed in class after all of what I just told you? You, Potter, are unbelievable," Malfoy muttered.

Harry couldn't help but smirk at that, "I'm kind of used to being in the Hospital Wing instead of classes, you should have noticed that by now, Malfoy," he chortled, the blonde before him making him feel immediately lighter than he normally would have given the circumstances.

The conversation was stopped by Madame Sephiroa, a tall slender elderly witch with a Mediwitch cap on overtop of her light gray hair. She had narrowed, bored hazel eyes as she pursed her lips. "Mister Potter, you are finally awake," she began.

"Feeling peachy, too," he half-grinned as Malfoy shook his disbelieving head.

"You may leave, Mister Malfoy, now that he is awake. Please alert Headteacher Karkaroff of Mister Potter's state as I give him a check over," she ordered.

Malfoy didn't speak as he stood to leave and Harry was slightly put down that he didn't turn to even look back at him either, or say goodbye. "How long as he here for?" he asked the mediwitch curiously.

Madame Sephiroa turned a grim face on him as she retrieved her wand from her pocket to do a quick check over of her patient, "He refused to leave your side from the moment he brought you in until you woke. His Professors were not pleased with him, though Igor decided it best you were constantly surveyed," she explained through pursed lips.

"Oh," Harry merely said and then lay back as the nurse continued her examination. As he was deemed healthy and allowed to exit the Hospital Wing she said one more thing to Harry.

"You are lucky to be alive after that incident, Mister Potter. I believe it is safe to say you must watch your back more carefully here, I do not wish to see you as my patient again," she closed the doors to the Hospital Wing before he could respond. Madame Sephiroa reminded Harry slightly of Madame Pomfrey back at Hogwarts, just a lot less cheery, taller and seemingly older, though with magic folk age it was always difficult to tell. Harry had forgotten that he had been out seven days, which meant it was Friday again and by the looks of it class was still in progress. He hadn't any idea where Malfoy had run off to so he decided it a good time to wander the Grounds by himself as he hadn't given them much exploration. He would have to retrieve his missed assignments from his Professor's once classes were adjourned. 

After going to the Aequor Sixth Year Boys Dormitory and retrieving his fur lined cloak and winter boots, Harry went down onto the Grounds. The landscape at Durmstrang was wholly different from Hogwarts. There was still a Qudditch pitch, blanketed in snow as was the rest of the area, off in the distance. However, the forest in which was nearby was down an extremely steep cliff, covered by jagged rocks at its edge. The secluded Castle was so high up on the mountain, Harry felt the air was so much thinner to breathe in and the clouds didn't seem as far away as they should be. Harry didn't walk too far from the entrance doors as he had already begun to shiver from the cold. It was unnatural to him, for it to be that cold in September. He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed, closing his eyes tightly. The cold air was refreshing after being shoved in the Hospital for apparently seven days straight of rest. "Honestly Potter, I knew you were thick...but standing out in the cold after you have not eaten for seven days when you still have not fully recovered? No wonder you and Weasley got along so well," Malfoy's thick voice drawled from behind Harry.

He spun around and found himself grinning at the blonde, who nearly camouflaged with the snow, "I needed some air. Why are you out here anyway, Malfoy?"

Malfoy shrugged, "Needed a walk,"

"Mind if I join you?" Harry asked. Malfoy didn't bother to answer as he shrugged and began to trudge through the snow, Harry quickly followed a step behind him. After a few minutes of carefully avoiding the edge of the cliff and walking quietly, Harry finally piped up. "Why didn't you leave me in the Hospital Wing?" There was no need to be crass, he had nothing to hide from Malfoy. 

Malfoy paused momentarily in his step before continuing, "I need to keep you safe, Harry. Do you not understand that, yet? Not just for the Vow, but for the Wizarding World and for my own sanity. I swore nothing would happen to you and then it did. I could not let something happen again and I will not. So, I made myself promise me not to leave your side. To stick by it, and to...protect you," he whispered.

Harry gaped at the words and quickly regained himself, "What do you mean, the Vow, Malfoy? I never asked you to do any of this, I never asked you to come here," 

"No, but my Father did. His allegiances..." Malfoy trailed off, he peered around the two of them, he couldn't trust they were alone even if he couldn't see anybody, he sighed and let his words fall even quieter, "...Father understands that you are the end of this War and if your life is taken it is just the beginning to another one. If your life is protected, it will bring peace. That's all he wants, peace, he has given his faith in you, Potter, and I am beginning to see why..." he frowned again at his own words, knitting his eyebrows. 

Forgetting about Lucius, the thought of the man putting his blind faith in Harry was too much for him to comprehend, he urged again the answer to the question he really wanted, "The Vow?"

"The Unbreakable Vow. My Father had me give the Unbreakable Vow to protect you with my own life, for the sake of this War," Harry stilled completely, his heart nearly stopped. There were so many questions that were brought up with that answer; How could a Father risk his only child's life for the sake of a boy he hated? Was Harry's life really that pertinent to defeat Voldemort? How was Draco so accepting of this fate he was forced into? How and why did he ever agree to it in the first place? None of the questions came to fruitition on his lips, they just hung dryly in his racing head as he heard Malfoy speak again.  "Just stop looking for trouble, you're bloody well making my job harder than it is," Malfoy grumbled.

Harry smirked, "Malfoy, I didn't know if you knew this, but being in trouble kind of comes along with the whole Boy-Who-Lived title," he chuckled, allowing the befuddled mounds of questions to slip away for the time being. Malfoy shook his head but said nothing more. For now, the two were just content with silently walking the Grounds away from everything reality had in store for them with a familiar face at their side.

* * *

 

_I wonder why nobody's waiting on you  
_ _I'd like to be the one to pull you through your darkest times  
_ _I'd love to be the light that finds you  
_ _I see a silver lining on your cloud  
_ _I'll pick you up whenever you fall down  
_ _Just take my hand and I will help you stand._


	7. If We Kissed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: If We Kissed  
> By: Fiona Apple

_Electricity, eye to eye.  
_ _Hey don't I know? I can't speak.  
_ _Strip my senses on the spot,  
_ _I've never been defenceless,  
_ _I can't even make sense of this.  
_ _You speak and I don't hear a word.  
_ _What would happen if we kissed?  
_ _Would your tongue slip past my lips?  
_ _Would you runaway?  
_ _Would you stay?  
_ _Or would I melt into you?  
_ _Not tonight, lust to lust,  
_ _Spontaneously combust.  
_ _The room is spinning out of control.  
_ _You act like you didn't notice, brushed my hand.  
_ _Forbidden fruit, ring on my finger.  
_ _You're such a moral mortal man.  
_ _Would you throw it away?  
_ _No question.  
_ _Will I pretend I'm innocent?_

* * *

 

"Potter," Draco hissed in a low, warning tone.

Harry glanced over at him from the Dormitory doorway and rolled his eyes dramatically, "It's just a stroll, Malfoy. Relax,"

"How imbecilic can you get? Spent too much time with the Weasel?" he grumbled, standing up from his bed and walking over towards him, his expression softening as he did. "So many people out there right now just want to hurt you. They want to see you dead. Why are you making it so easy and my job so hard?"

"Your  _job_? Stop treating me like some assignment- I'm a person, y'know! And if I want to go out for a walk to clear my head, I can," Harry snapped back. He was sick of being followed, being looked after and treated like a child who couldn't defend himself. How was he ever expected to defeat Voldemort when he couldn't even fight off a couple of Durmstrang students with a grudge? Though he was eternally grateful for everything Malfoy had done for him, the environment he was surrounding in was beginning to get to him, testing him. 

"Yes, Harry, my job. I am bound to protect you, if you don't remember," Draco growled testily, stepping closer still till he had Harry backed up against the door only a foot away, he glared icily down his nose at the brunette. "Even so, I could not live with myself if something happened to you again," his entire expression melted into a soft, warm smile now as his eyes focused on Harry's.

Harry felt unexplainably breathless as he looked up at Draco, his heart thudded loudly against his chest and his palms began to sweat nervously. Malfoy was close to him, quite close indeed. Harry could swear he was getting closer still, leaning downward towards his face. Harry thought he must have been imaging it, along with the sincere concern in his eyes...perhaps he was imagining the entire thing. Was he still in a coma? Delusional? He watched confusedly as Malfoy's eyes fluttered shut and Harry concentrated on the pale eyelashes that feathered on Draco's porcelain skin. Then, suddenly, there was no space between them and Draco's thin, pink lips were pressed up against Harry's, whose eyes went comically wide. As Draco's mouth did not show any intention of moving, Harry sighed and found himself relaxing into the intimate touch; he felt stiff and unable to respond, however. His mind was reeling as Draco's right hand softly caressed his cheek, the back of his fingers leaving a burning trace there.  Harry suddenly remembered how to breath. And who he was and who was standing before him snogging him. He shivered involuntarily and pressed the palms of his hands against Draco's chest, pushing gently. Draco leaned away and looked down at Harry, a mask covering the emotions on his face once more forcing Harry to believe that sincerity really was a method of his own delusion.

"I-I have to go," Harry stuttered in a small, broken whisper before turning and running from the room as fast as possible. The Aequor students who were still awake in the Common Room all watched with curiosity as Harry rushed down the dormitory stairs and frantically passed them, out into the school corridors. As he walked at a fast pace, he tried tirelessly to push the sensation from his mind of how soft and gentle that display of affection was. This was Malfoy, he had to remind himself, _the_ Draco Malfoy. He may have been the closest thing he had to a friend at Durmstrang but they were far from two people who snogged. Ever since Harry had awoken in the Hospital, the dynamic between the two of them had altered in a way he wasn't sure he was following or comfortable with. Why? Why? Why? The question burned in his head as he briskly walked. It had seemed like a normal day, despite the many glances from his first day back from his recovery of the incident. They still hadn't gathered any further information on whom his attacker had been, or what was the particular hex that had caused the internal bleeding. Still, with all of that and the days slowly crawling by at Durmstrang, Harry had to think away from everybody. He knew he would have to speak to Dumbledore and Sirius about what had occurred, ask them to get any information as well as tell him any news of the Death Eaters and what was transpiring on the outside. He hadn't received any letters from Ron, Hermione, Remus, or anybody for that matter. It was getting frustrating and Harry felt himself being more cut off by each day that passed, more apart of Durmstrang than anywhere else. More apart of his new House, his new classmates...Malfoy...

It was disturbing to think that Draco Malfoy was the closest thing to a friend he had nowadays.

When Harry returned to the Dormitory well over an hour later, his head was no less clear than it had been as he had left. It was even messier, in all reality. Maybe sleep would bring clarity, or maybe not. All he knew was that the best thing to do was try to get through day-by-day. Moment-by-moment. But the previous moment with Draco, left unexplained, was too much for him to handle. Merlin, what he wouldn't have given to have Ron and Hermione there with him now to help him muddle things out. Then again, if they had been there, Draco wouldn't have.  He re-entered the dormitory after walking through the thankfully now abandoned Common Room. As he walked inside, the silence and darkness told him that they were asleep. He slipped out of his uniform and folded it at the edge of his bed for tomorrow. As he shivered from the cold nipping him he slipped under his covers and turned on his side to face Draco's bed as he did every night since arriving there. Even through the darkness, it was easy to tell the blonde was already peacefully asleep.

Harry, his mind still thoroughly perplexed, couldn't help but to also think of how beautiful Draco looked when he slept. So peaceful, untouchable and utterly flawless. Harry sighed and closed his eyes tightly.

Maybe, tomorrow might make more sense than today.

* * *

 

When he awoke the next morning the snow was falling heavily. It was still a hard thing to get used to, snow in September. It seemed as though even the twins, infamous for being the last to rise, were already all down at breakfast. Harry got ready by himself and quickly gathered his school books for the day.

Harry entered the Mass Hall alone for the first time since he had begun attending Durmstrang. He was able to take a good look around at last and realized just how many eyes followed and glared at him. It was unnerving but expected so he put on the best façade and pretended to be unaffected. Walking in between the Aequor and Caelum tables, he took a seat across from Migel and Quinton, ignoring Malfoy's piercing glance of masked curiosity from down the table where he sat with Chester.

"Couples tiff?" Migel teased, leaning in with a sly smirk.

Harry chuckled awkwardly, shook his head and turned all of his attention to his meal. But what Migel said and Malfoy's constant glare began to get under Harry's skin and he squirmed in his seat. Did the twins make all those couple jokes because they noticed something Harry did not? Then there was the real question still hammering into his head. Why had Malfoy kissed him? Unable to restrain himself any further, Harry looked up from his plate over to Malfoy who sent him a small smile that caused a shiver to ripple through his spine. When had the infamous Malfoy smirked turned into a  _smile_ when Draco addressed Harry?  Through-out breakfast they continuously glanced at one another to a pain where Harry couldn't take much more so he came to a resolve. He would confront Malfoy and as soon as possible. As they left the Hall he got his attention and quickly led him to a corridor nearly empty by the entrance doors. Malfoy had his arms crossed and eyebrow slightly raised with a smirk on his face. How was he so seemingly unaffected by yesterday's events? How was Malfoy so okay with everything?

"Why did you kiss me?" Harry asked, not wasting any time and regrettably immediately felt the heat rise to his cheeks upon mentioning it aloud.

Draco chuckled, "Sorry, Saint Potter, I didn't know it would offend you so much," he drawled.

Harry went even redder, "No! That's not it! Well, erm, I mean that...urgh...I'm just confused s'all," he sighed, defeated and dropping his head. He couldn't bring himself to openly admit that he had disliked the kiss or that he had wanted to feel those lips again. Either admittance was not something he wanted to voice, or think, or feel. He wasn't sure where he stood, he wasn't sure at all of the once Slytherin boy before him. It was still their first month at Durmstrang and everything had changed so drastically. Draco seemed even more amused now and he took this opportunity to advance on Harry by a step, glad the other didn't falter back but was thrilled by the widened emerald eyes, nervously looking upon him. Draco enjoyed the power he felt in making Harry squirm, as he had for the past five years but now it was in a whole new way.

"Are you attempting to ask  _why_ I kissed you, Harry?" he slurred, breathing his name seductively and allowing his piercing silver eyes to glaze over. Now, Draco was no fool, he understood he had sex appeal when he tried to use it, even at his age it had already gotten him what he wanted from Blaise or Pansy back when he spent time with them. He also loved, inexplicably so, to see Harry squirm beneath his unfaltering eyes.

"I-yeah...why?" Harry stuttered, unable to take look away from Draco who was now beginning to close in on him even more. He was becoming overwhelmed with the lack of distance.  _'Merlin, Draco looks just as beautiful now as when he sleeps..._ ' Harry thought absently somewhere in the back of his head and then cursed his own thoughts. Those weren't thoughts he should be having regarding any Malfoy.

"Because I want to," Draco hissed lowly and ducked his head down to press his lips once more to the shorter boy.

Once again Harry was stunned still, his heart stopped and he held his breath. He couldn't help the small instinctive moan that escaped him as Draco flicked his tongue out and ran it across his lower lip. Then, just as suddenly as the touch had come, it left.

Draco looked down at Harry with the truest of smiles he had ever seen him give, he reached out with the back of his hand and caressed his cheek as he had done the night before, "Because, through protecting you and almost losing you I have realized just how important you are to me. I kissed you, Harry, because I like you," he confessed boldly, unafraid and proud of his words and feelings. True to a Malfoy, always proud even in times of sentiment. He stepped out, giving Harry necessary room to catch his breath, "Now c'mon Potter, Greyback will have our heads for being late," he smirked and waited for Harry to slowly gather himself and push off the corridor wall to follow him down towards their Dark Arts classroom; his head a complete mess. 

_'Today definitely makes less sense than yesterday,'_

* * *

 

_I struggle with myself again.  
_ _Quickly the wall, I'm crawling.  
_ _Don't know if I can turn away.  
_ _What would happen if we kissed?  
_ _Would your tongue slip passed my lips?  
_ _Would you runaway?  
_ _Would you stay?  
_ _Or would I melt into you?  
_ _If we kissed._


	8. Fallin' For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Fallin' For You  
> By: Colbie Caillat

_I don't know but, I think I maybe falling for you  
_ _Dropping so quickly, Maybe I should keep this to myself  
_ _Waiting 'til I know you better.  
_ _I am trying not to tell you,  
_ _But I want to - I'm scared of what you'll say  
_ _So I'm hiding what I'm feeling, But I'm tired of holding this inside my head.  
_ _I've been spending all my time just thinking about you,  
_ _I don't know what to do, I think I'm falling for you  
_ _I've been waiting all my life, and now I found you  
_ _I don't know what to do, I think I'm falling for you._

* * *

 

_A long, slimey finger caressed its way down the side of his face. He shivered, cold night air hitting him, the raw stench of blood infesting his nostrils._

_"You will know the pain of death," hissed the creature, unworthy to be called a man crouched before him. His eyes slitted with putrid hatred, concentrating on his own._

_Looking up with vehemonce he spat, "But you will never know the feeling of love," He knew nothing more as the hand of the monster flew backwards and struck hard across his face. The world suddenly went black, but the last thing he recalled was pain._

"Harry!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"Oh thank Merlin, you're finally up you tosser," Draco breathed with relief, leaning back on the balls of his feet. Chester, Migel and Quinton all were standing crowded around Harry's bed along with a concerned blonde.

Harry came to slowly, his mouth was parched yet every inch of his skin was soaking with perspiration. He came to sit up and found his rounded glasses being handed to him by Malfoy, "W-what happened?" he croaked.

The boys exchanged glances and Quinton spoke first, "You had another nightmare it seemed,"

"You weren't all screaming your 'ead off this time though,"

"A lotta thrashing, though. You alright, mate?" the twins countered back and forth.

Harry smiled wearily and nodded, "M'fine, just bad tremors," he lied and cast a look off to the side. "Sorry, I forgot the silencing charms last night," he mumbled apologetically.

"Come, breakfast has started," Draco abruptly cut-in, stopping any further inquiry by the other Aequor's.

Harry was leaning tiredly on the House Table once they were in the Mess Hall, staring dully down at his unappetizing breakfast. His dream, though vague, he knew it was important. There was a feeling inside of him that told him it meant more, there was no way it could be just a dream so intense, so vivid. He needed to speak with Dumbledore and Sirius in person...but how? His only current option was using one of the Professor's Floo Networks and he doubted they would do him that favour.

"You really ought to take some Dreamless Sleep, Potter," Migel said from across the table.

"I'm sure Madame Sephiora wouldn't mind giving you some," Quinton added.

Draco looked seriously at Harry, catching and holding his weary gaze, "I must agree Harry, you need to get more rest. It is not healthy," he frowned concernedly.

Harry forced a half-smile onto his face, "Thanks guys, really. I'll just put a silencing charm on my bed every night,"

"Oh, c'mon Potter, no need. Just take the drought, it's not like Madame's going to poison you," Chester said as everybody chuckled.

"You guys don't get it," Harry mumbled and then jumped when he felt a hand lightly grasp his lower thigh. He turned to look at Draco's face, softened with worry.

"What do we not understand? Make me understand, Harry," he whispered, the three other Aequor boys exchanged knowing smirks as they cast their eyes down at their plates yet left their ears open.

Harry blushed, looking down at his breakfast as he willed his mind to not think about the previous day when Malfoy had kissed him. Or the day before that where he had done the same. Now his hand, comforting him...Harry's mind raced with his heart and he swallowed a heavy lump in his throat; Why was being so close to Draco all the time making him so nervous? He was a near wreck at every touch and glance. It's just Malfoy, he had to constantly remind himself.

"It's just that some dreams are far too important to miss,"

Draco frowned and squeezed his leg reassuringly. Harry was glad that hand seemed to refuse to move all breakfast, or else he wouldn't have made it through. Whatever was the animosity between them had now vanished and there were no questions of loyalty left. Harry trusted Draco, in a way he knew he shouldn't but couldn't help himself. After years of knowing Draco through his mask, now he finally knew beneath it and he couldn't detach himself.

Oh, what would Ron and Hermione think.

Harry leaned closer to the blonde to whisper lowly, "I need to get into Greyback's office,"

Draco turned to him suddenly, dropping his fork to his plate with a clatter and opening his mouth. Harry looked away so as to not cause attention to be drawn to them, "Why?" hissed the ex-Slytherin.

"Talk to Dumbledore and Black...it's important," he added quietly, eyeing their classmates pointedly around them.

Malfoy pursed his lips and slowly nodded, "Fine," he muttered, "I'll help but we might lose our heads doing it. Or our lives. Or get expelled. Perhaps all of the above,"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. There were other more important things to be concerned with, more important than his recent infatuation... _'Don't go using that word Potter! You're not infatuated you're just...curious_ ,' he lied evenly to himself. He had to focus his attentions on getting a face-to-face meeting with Dumbledore. If Greyback had his fire connected to the Floo Network, he could get right into Hogwarts that way - knowing that Remus' Floo Network would bend the school wards to let him in.

The day passed by slowly and uneventfully, unless one could count Harry being deducted 125 Aeuqor House points during Dark Arts by Greyback - even though he was top of the class. Soon it was just after dinner; Chester, Migel and Quinton were all at their usual study table in the Common Room by the snow-lined window sill, quietly rummaging over their daily assignments. Harry and Draco snuck away into the Durmstrang corridors as soon as they could without being noticed.

Once by themselves, out of earshot of the House Tower, Harry explained his plan. "I just need you to keep guard when I'm entering and returning. I'll be gone one hour, no more. Is there anyway you can ensure the room will be empty when I come back? I know Greyback likes you, so maybe you could distract him somehow?" Harry asked with a pleading gaze.

Draco raised an eyebrow elegantly and leaned forward, ducking his head as he did so, "Whatever you need, Harry," he breathed so smoothly Harry nearly lost his balance, "Karkaroff is having a Professors meeting at the moment. If we make haste, you can return before they are even finished," he added more seriously.

Harry ignored his slightly tinted cheeks and nodded, turning to take off in the direction of Greyback's office, "Wait, Harry!" Draco called after him, grabbing onto his shoulder.

Harry stopped and cocked his head around questioningly. "If we are seen getting to the office, we will get a detention. How do you suppose we go about that?" Malfoy asked.

"Oh, right. Here, just come underneath this with me," Harry said, pulling from his large fur cloak a smaller, folded up cloak that looked velvet from a distance.

Draco eyed it curiously, "What is it?"

"My Father's old Invisibility Cloak, now c'mon," Harry urged again, the quicker this was over with the sooner he had the answers in which he desperately wanted.

Unfolding the cloak, Harry slipped under it and made sure it covered him from his head to his feet before he propped open a small opening to allow Draco to walk underneath as well, "Stay close, the cloaks not big enough for Ron and I - I doubt it's big enough for us either," Harry whispered, beginning to lead the way again.

Draco didn't seem as though he was in the least trying to keep his distance underneath the Invisibility Cloak. In fact, unless Harry was mistaken, it seemed as though with each step the blonde was closer to his behind. He could feel his hot breath ghosting across his neck, sending shivers down his spine. Harry shook it off and continued down the hall. The stairs were a difficult task; two growing teenage boys crouched beneath a cloak, attempting to walk at the same pace and not stepping on one another's heels. "Are you sure you need me?" Draco hissed quietly, in case a Groundskeepers or Professor were lurking around the corners doing night patrols.

"You didn't  _have_  to come. The last thing I need, however, is Greyback running into me sneaking out of his office," Harry responded tightly.

Draco nudged him lightly from behind, "I was kidding, Potter," he smirked. Upon reaching the Dark Arts corridor, Draco soflty grabbed a hold of Harry's shoulder and brought him to a full-stop. "Be careful and fast, Potter," he said, imploringly staring down at him.

Harry looked down at his toes only for his face to be lifted up gently, Draco's hand cupping his chin, "I will. Thank you for this," he blushed.

"Do not thank me Potter, it is always my pleasure," he whispered and quickly pecked him on the lips. There it was, for a third time, a kiss. A soft, quick but unmistakeably a kiss.

Even that smallest of touches made Harry weak at his knees, he slunk shyly away from Draco's touch, embarrassed for he was not able to bite back his blinding smile. As he slipped out of the Invisibility Cloak, Harry immediately grabbed a hold of his wand. If need be, he could perform a very quick, effective Confundous Charm or Obliviation.

" _Alhohamora_ ," he whispered, causing Professor Greyback's door to unlock with a click. He pushed it open quietly, gave the small, dark room a survey. Just as suspected; empty. Harry made a dash for the unlit mantle place. On the top right hand corner of it lay an ornate jar of thick iron. He reached up to it, pulled it off and inside felt his fingers graze across a pile of Floo Powder.

Grabbing a handful, he ducked his head inside the fireplace and thrust it on the ground saying " _Professor Remus Lupin_ ," and as being engulfed in green flames, he felt a tug somewhere at his naval much like Apparition and his vision went blurry momentarily. When he could see clearly once more, the green flames were subsiding about his ankles. He was glad Professor Dumbledore had bent the wards so he could come by Floo Powder through Remus' office whenever need be, in cases of emergencies. It would only allow him and other specific people, such as Sirius or Arthur Weasley passage.

Righting his glasses and sliding his wand back into place, Harry took a quick look around the room. It was empty. Quickly, Harry disillusioned himself as he knew he would not be able to make it all the way through the Castle unnoticed otherwise, and left Professor Lupin's offices. It was late enough for the curfew to be in effect at Hogwarts as well. Beneath his thick, fur cloak Harry felt himself sweating as it was much hotter there. He had forgotten that unlike at Durmstrang, it would not be snowing. So he pushed down the urge for going immediately to Gryffindor Tower to see Ron and Hermione and knew he had more important matters to attend to first before his time was up. He rushed through the familiar hallways, nostalgia slowly kicking through his shock of returning to the place that felt so much like home. It was easy to navigate through the deserted corridors he knew so well and up to Professor Dumbledores office. He wasn't the least bit surprised to see the Pheonix staircase was already open for any to enter.

Harry climbed the marble stairs up to the Headmaster's office and reached the door, ajar slightly as light seeped through it. Enraged voices flowed outwards, Harry listened in.

"Albus, this cannot go on for much longer!"

"Remus, please do sit down, it may clear your head," Albus Dumbledore's calming, tired voice sounded over him.

There was a scuffling of chairs inside the room. "He's right though Albus, I won't stand for Harry being there any longer. It's too dangerous for him,"

Remus cut in, "And with our inability to contact him, anything could be happening to him!"

"Sirius, Remus," Albus spoke deeply, "I can assure our Harry is perfectly safe and out of harms way,"

"How can you be so sure?" Sirius snapped icily.

"He is just outside the door, old friend, if you would like to ask him yourself," Dumbledore smiled crookedly.

Quickly feet hurried around the room now and suddenly the door was flung open just as Harry was disillusioning himself again.

"Harry," Sirius breathed, a large smirk forming on his face as he bent down to take the brunette into his arms.

* * *

 

_As I'm standing here, and you hold my hand  
_ _Pull me towards you and we start to dance  
_ _All around us, I see nobody  
_ _Here in silence, It's just you and me._   



	9. It's Dangerous Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door  
> By: Underoath

_I've been up at this all night long  
_ _I've been drowning in my sleep  
_ _I've prayed for your safe place  
_ _And it's time for us to leave.  
_ _My knuckles have turned to white  
_ _There's no turning back tonight  
_ _Kiss me one last time  
_ _Around this turn where the cross will cast your shadow  
_ _The people will all gather  
_ _To remember such a day  
_ _Where the glames grew as high as trees  
_ _And the world stopped  
_ _It stopped for you and me.  
_ _I will now bring new meaning to the word alone  
_ _Endless nights of dreaming of life  
_ _And the days we should have spent here._

* * *

 

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed happily, melting into the older man's touch and hugging him back as tightly as possible.

"How have you been dear boy? Keeping well?" he asked rushedly, beaming down as he grasped Harry's shoulders tightly, a light film of tears of relief in his eyes.

"I'm fine, a little nicks here and there, but fine, really...why haven't you been writing?" Harry asked, recoiling slightly with a look of detatchment.

Sirius frowned deeply, "At first we thought it were you that wasn't writing us,"

"You see Harry m'boy," Dumbledore began from behind them, "We have come to believe that any mail entering or leaving Durmstrang Instituition is being heavily monitored. Anything which comes in from Hogwarts or anybody associated with the alleged Order of The Pheonix is being destroyed, in our beliefs," he sighed heavily, but an emenant smile still there, "I was wondering when you were to use your safe passageway, we were beginning to worry,"

"Worry is a gross understatement, Albus," Remus grinned as he to made his way to Harry to greet him back, hugging him tightly. "Now come in, I'm sure there's plenty for you to tell us," he and Sirius parted from the doorway and allowed Harry room to step into the too-familiar office.

Dumbledore conjured an empty chair for him to sit in between the two Marauder's. The old Headmaster folded his hands on the table top and smiled gently, "As I had mentioned before, we believe the mail is being monitored. It would do you well to cease attemptive contact with anybody outside of Durmstrang Instituition asides from using your safe passage as you have now. I know this must be difficult, Mister Potter, but it is the only way we can keep you even safer,"

"Keep me safer?" Harry whispered astonished, he laughed darkly and shook his head, his long raven fringer falling in front of his tired eyes, "I can hardly sleep at night out of fear of being ambushed! If  _ever_  I walk my own school corridors alone at any time without my guard, I'm begging to be cursed! You call that safe?" he spat loudly, his hands gripped the sides of his seat. Certainly there was more Dumbledore could have done to avoid this, certainly as Hogwarts was his school...

"Guard? So you have made contact with others and are assured of their alliances?" Remus questioned softly from beside him.

Harry bit his lower lip nervously and shrugged, "Er, kinda," he took a deep breath, "There are the three Durmstrang boys I share accomodations with...they seem to like me, I mean, I guess they're my friends and all. Though I've never asked them about their parents or where they stand in the War...but I don't think they pay any attention to it," he said thoughtfully.

"Guard though, you mentioned a guard. Are they somebody who can be trusted, Harry? It is of uptmost importance that you are not alone there, for that is when Voldemort will strike once he himself is able enough," Dumbledore explained.

Harry swallowed, "I-I think I can trust him," he blushed, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"Who is he? We can do a background check as soon as possible, find the standings of his family and anything relating to him,"

"No need to, we already know all of that," Harry mumbled.

Realization dawned on Sirius' face and he groaned lightly, placing his hands on either side of his temples, "It's Malfoy, isn't it?"

"Er, I know it sounds bad but...there's so much more to it. I-I don't think it's my place to tell you how I can trust him-"

"Harry, this is your life!" Sirius yelled angrily from his seat, recieving a disdaining look from Dumbledore, "Harry," he whispered lower now, leaning over in his seat towards his Godson, "You must tell us everything,"

Harry sighed, he knew he would have to, he just didn't want to betray Draco's trust like that. He hoped he would understand. "Draco's Father changed his stance in the War during summer. He was forced to give the Unbreakable Vow to keep me safe, he has the markings of the Vow so I know he is not lying," He thought briefly of the thin almost unnoticeable white scars Draco had pointed out to him in honesty before and then before Harry's confession could be questioned, he continued. He needed to tell them everything that had occurred and as soon as possible, for he had his own questions he wanted answered. When he was finished with explaining all the incidents and students he had come to a head with at Durmstrang, the three adults sat quietly about Dumbledore's desk. "Now I have a question to ask," he said sternly.

"Yes, anything Harry," Dumbledore bowed his head gently.

"When can I come home? I cannot stand being on constant alert, a-and I'm not too sure how much longer Voldemort is going to wait until he attacks," Harry explained his fears.

"Now Harry, you know that the earliest Trial date Fudge is making available for you is December 21st and that cannot be changed. Though, I wish to assure you that I will do everything in my power to promise a safe trip home after a successful victory against the Ministry," Dumbledore said.

"Why is the Ministry so reluctant to help us, sir?"

"Because Fudge is a coward," Sirius growled coarsely.

"Now Padfoot-"

"Moony, it's true! It's the only god-damn reason they are trying to shut-down everything Dumbledore has worked for! The reason why they're trying to throw us all into Azkaban, because he's a bloody coward!" he yelled and then turned to Harry with a slight apologetic smile, "I never intended for you to be brought so deeply into this Harry, but I feel as though these things should not be kept from you. You're an adult now,"

"He is not, Sirius," Remus reprimanded, "He is only fifteen! You can't expect him to..."

"I expect nothing of Harry besides for him to be safe, Rem. I only want the best for my Godson," he smiled softly, Harry was beaming back at him. Sirius always understood how much he hated matters concerning himself to be kept from him, he always tried to be upfront and honest and Harry respected that more than anything else.

"So...what are we going to base the trial off of in December? I might as well know that much so I can do some research and preparation on my spare time," Harry groaned, "That is if I have any,"

Dumbledore nodded, "We will be presenting the same but hopefully with a stronger case m'boy, for we have much more time to collect others as witness' of your character. Is there anything you think should be added?"

"Er, can the fact that Durmstrang is a ridiculously dangerous place for me be made as a defence point?" Harry mumbled.

"That is probably the best point to make, Harry, but I'm afraid that we have no evidence," Remus sighed, lowering his head.

"Just expressing the fact we believe it to be a dangerous place because of the believes of some of the students..."

" _Most_ ," Harry corrected.

"... _Most_  of the students parents is not a very reliable source of information," Sirius explained.

"Erm, what if there was an act against my, er, well being?" Harry suggested slowly.

"A What?" Sirius jumped up from his seat, "What happened? Who did it? Why weren't we informed of this?"

"Sirius, please," Dumbledore cut into him gently, "We were not informed because that is how Igor wanted it. To be kept in silence. Now Harry, what are you implying?"

All three pairs of eyes turned on Harry and he looked down towards his feet. "I-I'm not quite aware of the incident itself. It was rather extensive, temporary damage however, seeing as I was in a coma for nearly seven days-"

"Seven days?! Are you fuc-"

"Sirius! Please, Harry continue,"

"Er, right. D-Draco has no doubt that it was Nyle Rosenburg and his gang of friends who did it. The Iron Lung was cast on me apparently and an unknown dark curse which caused me to bleed from the inside out. Uhm, like I said I can't remember it at all so please don't ask me. Last thing I remembered was going to breakfast one morning, and then waking up the next week with Draco at my bedside," Harry explained nervously, he thought he'd leave out the parts in between where he had awoken to Draco's distressed tone, holding his hand so tenderly. That memory was all for himself to keep.

Sirius and Remus were both red in the face whereas Dumbledore seemed to be contemplating the new bits of information he had received, "Harry, it was not wise for you to have come to us so late after this incident. If anything like this happens again, please travel to us as soon as safely possible," Remus said softly.

"Professor Lupin is right Harry, you should have informed us sooner,"

"I know sir, but I-I got caught up with things, lessons are so demanding there and-"

"Have you spoken directly to Headteacher Karkaroff?" Dumbledore cut Harry off abruptly.

Harry thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head, "Oddly enough, no. I would've thought given his status he would have approached me sooner but the only Professor there who seems to care about who I am is Greyback,"

"Ah yes, Fenrir is not as clever as Karkaroff and that much is for sure," Dumbledore mumbled.

"Clever, sir?" Harry inquired.

"Yes. You see, Igor in the past wave of this War had been imprisoned and released from Azkaban for being involved with Death Eater activities. He is intelligent enough to distance himself from you as to not cause any suspicion amongst any who may be paying attention," Harry nodded slowly in understanding.

"I-Is it alright sir if I see Hermione and Ron? I'd like to see them before I have to leave, I've only an hour till it'll get too dangerous to pass back through..."

"What Floo Network did you use Harry?" Sirius questioned.

"Fenrir's," Harry mumbled, ignoring the incredulous looks of the other men.

"Yes, of course, I will go collect them myself. We cannot have you walking around the Castle, it will raise too much suspicion. Why don't you stay and chat with Remus and Sirius while I take leave,"

"Thank you, sir,"

Once Dumbledore had left the office, Harry was greeted once again by two stern faces of his Father's old best friends. "W-What is it?"

"We're just worried for you Harry is all," Remus whispered.

Sirius nodded, "James was like a brother to me, which makes you like a son Harry. I'm scared for you," he admitted.

"Don't worry, it's not so bad..." Harry trailed off. Life at Durmstrang had hit rock bottom and he was coping with it perfectly fine, or as good as could be. In his opinion, there was no way matters could get worse unless Voldemort showed up in the middle of Charms.

"Well, I must say that I am glad this Malfoy character is with you. Though, I cannot imagine Lucius turning his back on You-Know-Who. It sounds so unimaginable," Remus pondered.

"Yes Harry, are you sure he can be trusted?"

"Positive," Harry snapped strongly, "I have seen his Unbreakable Vow scars, the matching set I have no doubt are on his Fathers' hand. I may not like Lucius whatsoever, but I know I can trust Draco with my life," Remus and Sirius turned to one another and shared a knowing, dark look. They continued to speak along the lines of a lighter subject, such as how Harry's lessons were going, until a shrill voice sounded in the doorway.

"Harry!" Hermione squealed.

Harry jumped up from his chair and beamed at his two best friends, taking them both quickly into his arms to embrace them. "How've you been mate?"

"Been keeping," he shrugged, "How's the school year going?"

"Boring - erm, wonderful as always!" Ron corrected after a stern sideways glance from Hermione, he began rubbing the back of his neck.

"What about you, Harry? How are all those classes at Durmstrang?"

"Absolutely brutal. Even Draco can hardly keep up with the daily assignments. And you would not  _believe_  some of the stuff they teach there! Some of it's really wicked!" he grinned, there were of course some benefits to the new study material.

" _Draco_?" Ron hissed questioningly.

"Well, we're kinda in the same dormitory..."

"You're in the same House as him?" Ron screamed in rage, "How in the name of Merlin did that happen?"

"Mister Malfoy and Mister Potter have much more in common than they care to admit," Dumbledore's calm voice said from behind. This shocked Harry and he blushed, he couldn't help but think of his lips being caressed by Draco's soft, luscious, pink pair of... "No matter, I am quite apologetic to cut this meeting short but you say you had only an hour Harry?"

"Er, yessir,"

"I regret to inform you that we have exceeded our time limit. It is a half past that hour as of now,"

"Bollocks!" Harry swore, "Sir, can your fireplace get me to Fenrir's?"

"Most certainly, any passage can be made out of it just not in," Dumbledore said, stepping aside so that Harry could hug Hermione, Ron, Remus and Sirius once more.

"I'm real sorry guys, I promise to come visit again when I have the ti-"

"Harry, it is vital you do not make frequent trips here. It is too risky,"

"Dumbledore is right, Harry," Sirius said softly in agreeing, "As much as we would all like to see you, please only come when it's necessary and we will continue to try and write to you, maybe they will let one letter or two through," he added gloomily. Harry solemnly said his goodbyes and stepped into the fireplace. He wished he had more time to visit with Ron and Hermione, for he hadn't realized how much he missed them until he had seen them. But time was of the essence now. Upon Flooing himself back to Fenrir's office, he quickly surveyed the room to find that it was thankfully empty. He rushed out into the hallway and nearly collided with the invisible form of Draco, who quickly steadied him with both hands on his shoulders. He felt Draco embracing him from the other side of the Invisibility Cloak and Harry melted into his touch. He even, without thought, brought his arms around the blonde too. Harry was appalled to realize it was the longest they had gone without seeing each other since they began their stay at Durmstrang and it wasn't even two hours. He shook the thought from his head, it didn't matter. Those arms, that boy pressed up against him, his scent and his touch, it was all just right. Everything. Nearly perfect. Harry shook his head, did he really have to keep questioning himself?

"I was so worried something had gone wrong," Draco whispered softly into his ear.

"What could have gone wrong?" Harry chuckled light-heartedly.

"I have heard of cases where Wizards have splinched themselves travelling Floo through warded places," he snipped back and Harry could imagine the small scowl on his face. He smiled against the soft, velvety fabric of the Cloak.

"How did it go?"

"We should talk about it somewhere a little more private. Don't you think it'd be a little strange to be seen talking to myself, snogging the air?" Harry grinned.

"Snogging? Potter, are you thick enough that you cannot tell the difference between a hug and snogging?" Draco sarcastically drawled.

Harry laughed and quickly opened up the Cloak to let himself inside of it to. He was greeted by two, round pairs of surprised silver eyes gazing down at him. "My point  _is_  Malfoy, that we should be," he said, and with that pressed his lips as hard as he could so no mistake could be made as to what he was doing.

Draco sighed contently and kissed Harry chastely in return.

* * *

 

_Glass chatters and comes to a halt  
_ _I thought we'd be there by now  
_ _I thought it would be so much quicker than this  
_ _Pain has never been so brilliant  
_ _I made sure you were buckled in  
_ _Now you can walk hand-in-hand  
_ _Hand-in-hand with me._


	10. By Your Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: By Your Side  
> By: Tokyo Hotel

_I don't want to cause you trouble,  
_ _Don't wanna stay too long,  
_ _I just came here to say to you  
_ _Turn around, I am here  
_ _If you want it's me you'll see,  
_ _Doesn't count, far or near  
_ _I can hold you when you reach for me._

* * *

 

"Igor, how much longer must we wait for him?"

Draco and Harry snapped apart immediately, their lips swollen and cheeks flushed, breathing heavily they stared wide-eyed in understanding at one another.

"What is His will, we must follow. Remember Broadmoore?" the other said pointedly.

Fenrir Greyback lowly growled, "He trusts us more than that, we are of His innermo-" he hissed until the shuffling of feet halted to a stop.

"Do not assome we are in His favour, like a damned fool, Fenrir! The only one who has exceptions is Himself and Potter," he spat in response.

"Quickly now," Draco whispered, pulling at Harry's wrist.

In response, Harry shook his head roughly and pressed his free hand across Draco's mouth, silencing him. He shuffled them closer to the wall opposite of Greyback's office. He brought Draco to be pressed against his front, his back hard on the cold, corridor wall. He peered astutely over Draco's shoulder as Greyback and Karkaroff became visible from down the hallway. "We must wait until we are given orders, otherwise severe consequences may arise," Igor continued authoritatively.

"But Potter's in our grasp! What are we waiting for?" Fenrir clenched his teeth.

Igor came to a stop outside of the others office doors and crossed his arms, he looked down his nose at the werewolf and scowled, "For our Lord to regain His strength. He wants Potter to Himself and we shall give Him what He wishes,"

"And how much more time will be wasted?"

"His Lord estimates no later than Beltane," the Headteacher sighed and brought two fingers to rub his temple, "It is best to continue waiting Fenrir, do not let your personal advances get in the way of the larger picture,"

Fenrir pursed his scarred lips and narrowed his eyes, "Of course,  _sir_ , and wait we shall,"

"Just keep Potter under close surveillance," Harry felt Draco tense in front of him, pressing harder against him as his hands lightly gripped his own arms.

"And of Malfoy Junior? Any advances on his motives, has the Lord mentioned or passed along information of his mission here with Potter?" Greyback inquired curiously.

"Nothing. But all of Malfoy Senior's missions have been kept promptly shadowed from us for their reasons. If it involves Malfoy and Potter, it must be of great importance. We shall not interfere,"

"Does Severus or the Lord know how close Malfoy has come to the Golden Boy, 'eh? I never see them apart. What could Dracos' mission be that requires Potter's constant presence? And remember the incident a week ago? He protected his well-"

"We must  _not_  interfere!" Igor snapped, "Is that understood Greyback?"

Fenrir regarded him coolly, "Yessir, the will of our Lord be done," he bowed his head slightly before glaring up at the Headteacher.

"Good evening, Greyback. And if you ever have further doubts of what has been planned, I will not pause to inform Wormtail and the others of your queries," he threatned before turning on his heel and stalking down the corridor. Fenrir stayed outside of his office, grumbling to himself. When the Headteacher was no longer in the corridor, he sniffed and pierced his eyes around to where Harry and Draco stood shrouded by the Invisibility Cloak. They held their breaths, eyes widened. Surveying the area carefully, Fenrir finally grumbled and stepped into his office.

Draco pushed back slightly from Harry and glowered downwards, "What are you getting at?" he hissed in a whisper.

Harry blushed lightly, "You have to understand, Draco, I need to figure out what Voldemort's planning,"

"But do not risk your own safety in the process! What if he noticed we were there? What then, hrm?" Draco shook his head, "You are unbelievable. We should have left,"

"Then we wouldn't have found out what we did!" Harry countered, as Draco began leading the way haughtily back towards the Aequor Tower.

"Which was what, exactly? I fail to see the point. We already knew all of that,"

"No, now we know that he plans to attack on Beltane and by then I should be back with Dumbledore, thankfully. Next time I goto visit, I'll tell them,"

"Can't you just Owl them?" Draco asked.

"Dumbledore thinks Igor's having the Owls monitored so I don't recieve or send any post," Harry explained.

Draco shot him a curious look over his shoulder, "Honestly?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. I think they wanna keep me as far out of reach as possible, I guess," he shrugged, looking down at his feet walking instep closely behind Draco's.

"Did they tell you anything else?"

"Not really, no. Though Dumbledore thinks using the incident last week during the trial would be of great use to our advantage. And I was glad to see Remus and Sirius, not to mention Ron and Hermione," he frowned at that. He really wished he could have spoken to his friends longer. A quick glimpse made him miss them all that much more.

"That's good, I hope we can get you out of here sometime soon Harry because I haven't any idea what I would do with myself if something happened to harm you again," Draco admitted as they were coming upon their Common Room now. They both slipped out of their Invisibility Cloak, Draco turned to Harry with a soft frown, "I just want you to be safe,"

Harry blushed heavily but didn't let himself break eye contact, he reached out and slipped his hand into Draco's, entwining their fingers tightly, "I dunno, I kinda like it right here lately..." he mumbled.

Draco chuckled and squeezed his hand, smiling softly down at him, "Well, I still think it best you be safer, Harry. Now come, before a Grounds keeper gives us detention," As he led him inside the empty Common Room and up to their slumbering dormitory, he did not detach his hand from Harry's. Harry sighed happily, although he was forlorn about missing his friends, he felt the days would go by a lot quicker if Draco's hand stayed exactly where it was.

* * *

 

Harry woke slowly, he was being proded awake by two smiling identical faces. "Urgh," he groaned, turning back over in his bed.

"G'morning to you too, Harry!" Quinton smirked.

"Get'r up, mate, you're gonna miss breakfast!" Migel said, proding him once again,

"Urgh," Harry groaned again.

"C'mon Golden Boy, unlike popular belief the world will not wait for you," Draco drawled amusedly.

Harry shot up in his bed with a goofy half-grin directed at Draco who was leaning, eyebrow raised with that infamous smirk of his, against Harry's bed post. He was already dressed in the fur-line uniform, his arms crossed. The Durmstrang Institute cloaks fit him so much nicer than the Hogwart's ones ever did. "Morning Draco, guys," he greeted and then swung his legs out of bed, "I'll be down in a minute," he said. The twins looked at one another before leaving the room. Harry began to undress, unknowing that Draco had not fully left as he stood in the doorway, looking back at him.

"Mmm...you best not be showing anybody else what's beneath those robes, Harry," Draco whispered seductively, his silver eyes wide on Harry's now bare, toned chest.

Harry jumped around to face Draco, flushed he responded, "Or else what?"

"Or else, Potter," Draco hissed, moving back towards the brunette from the doorway, a hunger Harry had never seen in his eyes now, one that sent shivers down his spine, "You won't like the consequences," he closed their distance and threw Harry up against the bed post. He pressed his body hard against the others, accentuating the lack of distance between their pelvic bones and torsos, his hands were digging into Harry's bare hips. All of the breath in Harry's lung leaped out as if he had been cursed by the Iron Lung once again, he closed his eyes and anticipated Draco's lips harshly claiming his own. They breathlessly kissed for a moment before Draco released him and backed up, licking his own set of pink lips. Harry's knees shook, he was thankful the bed post was behind him, holding him sturdy and straight.

"See you at breakfast, Harry," Draco smirked before leaving the dormitory, fighting to hide his arousal.

Once Harry joined the twins in the Common Room a few minutes later, it was obvious Draco was already down in the Mess Hall so the three walked down themselves. Being with the twins reminded Harry too much of Hermione and Ron at Hogwarts and how much he sourly missed them. It gave him a resonating empty feeling in the depths of his chest. His life as a Wizard just wasn't right without them by his side, but having Draco there was more than making up for it these days. Slightly afraid of growing close to the blonde Slytherin for fear of his close friends disapproval, but Harry couldn't help himself. How hadn't he seen before just how charismatic Draco had been at Hogwarts? How incredibly intellectual, witty, humorous, caring, understanding, provocative, breath-takingly beautiful, courag-

"So what's the deal with you and Malfoy, Potter?" Migel quipped.

Harry looked over at the twins, creasing his eyebrows in fake curiosity, "What do yah mean?"

The twins shared a look and laughed, "C'mon, it's obvious you've both got it in for one another,"

"Don't worry, we've nothing against that sorta thing,"

"They're quite common in the Wizarding World y'know, homosexuals,"

"But you might wanna watch out for him..."

"...being Lucius Malfoy's son and all," they countered playfully back and forth much to Harry's dire embarrassment.

"Look guys, I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted more strongly that time.

Quinton raised his eyebrows just as they were entering the Mess Hall, "Really? Strange, must be seeing things then, right brother?"

"Right, we  _must_  be delusional," they chortled together.

Harry blushed, "Okay, fine you're right but I-I dunno what's really going on..."

"Don't worry, he's crazy about you. Just give 'em time," Quinton explained.

Migel nodded in agreement, "From what we can tell, Malfoy's quite like his Father, y'know? Kind of cuts himself off emotionally, so it might take him sometime to open up,"

"Er, yeah. Thanks guys. I-I think it'll work out on its own," he muttered and then looked over to where Draco was so delicately eating his morning pancakes and sausages. He always did everything with such perfection, even when it came to eating. Sitting down across from Draco, Harry tried hard to stay concentrated on his food. He still had other things on his mind distracting him, like the overheard conversation between Greyback and Karkaroff the night before. Not to mention, that empty feeling in his chest which seemed to be getting greater by the moment. Breakfast was a more silent affair than usual, but Harry could have sworn Draco's foot brushed up purposefully against his own numerous times. He tried to act indifferent, still thinking of missing his friends. When the Aequor students stood to leave the Mess Hall, Draco pulled Harry aside once they reached the outer corridor. Migel and Quinton both winked at Harry as they walked away towards their first period class.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked softly.

"What do you mean?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "Don't play stupid, Harry. It's obvious you've been a little long faced ever since last night. What is it? Was it something I did?" he asked, biting his lower lip in a nervous fashion. Harry's eyes went wide.  _'Draco's actually nervous when it comes to me? He's actually scared he messed something up? Can't he tell that I want whatever it is we have...and so much more...'_

"No, it's nothing you did, promise," Harry said shaking his head, "It's just that I miss 'Mione and Ron more than I figured and seeing them really hit the spot," he frowned, looking down at the ground.

Draco sighed, "Don't worry, you'll be back with them soon," he comforted him, "Till then, I'm sorry all you really have is me," he whispered.

Harry looked up and smiled gently, "And I'm so happy I do. I really am. I'm kinda glad I went here, because I wouldn't have been able to see this other side of you that I-uhm..." he looked away, blushing furiously once more.

"That you what, Harry?" Draco pressed softly.

"Er, that I'm really starting to, uhm...like I guess," he shrugged it off, trying to ignore his own flaming cheeks, "But Durmstrang isn't where I belong,"

"I don't know about that. With the way you are handling the assignments, beating everybody in class especially Charms and Dark Arts," Draco trailed off.

"That's not really what I mean. I do enjoy the lessons more than at Hogwarts, I think they're more practical and useful here. It's just these people. Hogwarts was my first real home and I miss it like you wouldn't believe. I'm starting to lose myself here, forgetting the reasons for what I'm supposed to be accomplishing, especially in reference to the War. I feel as though I'm losing all senses of self, and grip of reality because I'm being sucked into this false life here,"

"What's false about it?"

"It's just not meant for me and it's not who I am. I'm going crazy looking over my shoulder every time you're not around. I'm always on the defensive amongst these people...so many have a death wish for me and I don't even know them! I feel like I'm fighting a separate battle all on my own here and without having Ron and Hermione there it's all that much worse," Harry admitted, looking sadly at Draco who was frowning down at him, "If you weren't here, I'd clearly go insane, or might have died by now," he added.

"Good thing too...it will get better. It is only two and a half more months to last, anyway. I will never let you be alone and with me around I promise there's nothing to fear," Draco stepped closer to him and without even seeming to care about the other Durmstrang students that filled the entrance hall behind them he cupped Harry's face and brought his lips near enough to kiss him, "Not that I have a choice in the matter, I would happily die to protect you," he closed his eyes and kissed him hard.

Harry kissed him back as hard as he could before breaking apart, a small smile on his lips. "Come on then, we should be getting to class," he said, slipping his hand down Draco's left arm until it came to his fingers which he grasped in his own. As they walked to class they ignored the frenzied looks of those around them, as they kept their fingers tightly entwined.

Draco was right, there was no way for Harry to feel alone even if he was so faraway from home, for he would always have Draco standing bravely close at his side.

* * *

 

_If the world makes you confused  
_ _And your senses you seem to lose  
_ _If the storm doesn't want to diffuse  
_ _And you just don't know what to do  
_ _Look around, I am here  
_ _Doesn't count far or near  
_ _I am by your side  
_ _Just for a little while  
_ _We'll make it if we try._


	11. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps  
> By: CAKE

_You won't admit you love me.  
_ _And so how am I ever to know?  
_ _You only tell me  
_ _Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps.  
_ _A million times I've asked you,  
_ _and then I ask you over again,  
_ _You only answer  
_ _Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps.  
_ _If you can't make your mind up,  
_ _We'll never get started.  
_ _And I don't want to wind up  
_ _Being parted, broken-hearted.  
_ _So if you really love me,  
_ _Say yes.  
_ _But if you don't, dear, confess.  
_ _And please don't tell me  
_ _Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps._

* * *

 

"Halloween Ball? I would think you Durmstrang guys would be too busy  _studying_  to even remember that Halloween was in the month of October," Harry joked lightly. He was currently sitting at their usual study table in the Common Room, more distracted by the heavy snowfall outside and the beautiful mountain scenery than his actual Charms assignment. Chester, Quinton and Migel were all with him, talking about the excitement for the upcoming Halloween Ball. They explained they enjoyed it because they were allowed to invite outsiders in, so most of them Owl'd dates from back home, or some were lucky enough to even get girls to travel all the way from Beauxbatons.

Harry thought it might be a little much, but he guessed the boys needed a break from their heavy lesson plans at some point, "Are you bringing that Swan girl from back home again?" Migel asked his twin brother.

Quinton shrugged, "Don't see why not, she's still quite the looker," he nudged him playfully with a sly grin.

"Selena said she would come down for me, since it's not that far, so I don't think it should be a problem," Chester explained.

"Selena? Really?"

"Who knew a girl that good looking would be thick enough to date you!" they chortled, sticking their tongues out at Chester's glare.

"What about you, Harry?" Chester turned to the usually silent raven-haired boy.

Migel smirked, "Gonna be taking your lover boy?"

"Err, I haven't really thought about it..." Harry trailed off quietly, his eyes moving from the window over to the couch near the blazing fireplace where Draco sat - with one of his legs crossed over the other with a book in his hand - peacefully reading and seemingly undisturbed by the commotion of the full Common Room around him on that Sunday afternoon in late October.

"I dunno, I think Malfoy will be pretty upset if you don't ask him,"

"Yeah, if  _I_  were snogging the Boy-Who-Lived and he didn't ask me to the Ball…"

"We aren't snogging," Harry reprimanded the twins lightly, unable to take his eyes off the subject of their conversation. When he looked at Draco he couldn't help but get butterflies in his stomach, or the desire to curl his fingers through that silver silken hair. He swallowed heavily.

Their relationship had not exactly progressed in the past month, but instead stayed at an awkward stand still. Malfoy rarely left Harry alone anywhere in a room and they did have a lot of fun together - Harry was liking and trusting him more by the day. Only once in awhile would Draco lean in and grant Harry a fleeting kiss and only a select few times now had he done something so bold as to hold his hand or embrace him. Otherwise, they were just regular friends who harvested feelings they never acted on. Harry couldn't understand why Draco wouldn't act, but he knew he was too nervous and never the instigator of these situations - he hoped Draco would see that sooner rather than later and step up more often, because Harry longed so deeply for those chaste kisses of his.

"Mhm, so it's talking that I see both your lips doing?" Quinton grinned.

"Oh shove off," Harry mumbled with a thick blush. Turning, he saw all the Durmstrang boys at his study table grinning pointedly at him. They had teased him quite a bit about his situation recently.

"Just go ask him out. What's the worst that can happen?" Chester suggested softly.

Harry turned to him biting his lower lip and mumbled quietly "He rejects me and then I can never face him or anybody else again,"

"Right… because Draco Malfoy, the boy-who-has-been-in-love-with-you-for-ages, is about to turn down  _The_  Harry Potter? Are you sure you weren't meant to be sent to St. Mungo's instead of here, mate?" Migel laughed.

Harry looked around at his new friends and sighed heavily, "Fine. Just you watch me," he mumbled from between pursed lips, he couldn't let his Gryffindor bravery be tested and with that stood up from the table and waltzed proudly over to Draco. But as every step brought him closer his knees got weaker, his breath hitched, his palms a little sweatier. He came to sit down in the empty seat beside Draco who seemed not to regard him besides the slightest raise of his eyebrow.  _'Gods, how is he so damn beautiful?_ ' Harry cursed to himself, he was always so intimidating no matter which manner Harry approached him in.

"Draco, I-"

"Harry," Draco cut him off softly, still not looking up from the pages of his Advanced Potions textbook, "Please, would you tell our dormitory mates that they are not the quietest of speakers," he drawled void of emotion, masking them with such a fine talent.

Harry's blush deepened to a dark crimson and he idly thought if one could actually die of embarrassment, "Err, you heard all of that?"

"Yes, I did,"

"Uhmm...and?" he returned nervously, his eyes bearing into the blonde who still sat reading his book.

Slowly, Draco raised his head and when he looked at Harry he was smiling so softly, his eyes a gentle silver that made Harry's breath catch in his throat, "Harry, how thick are you?" He sighed and closed his book, leaning forward to set it down on the table.

"Err, what do you mean?" Harry asked innocently, his blush creeping down his neck as he was well aware of everybody's eyes on them not to mention a distant snigger from the twins.

"Let's go outside,"

"O-outside? It's a bloody snowstorm, Malfoy!" he said in indignation, his mouth agape.

"Scared, Potter? Come," he urged again, standing up and picking his fur cloak off of the back of the couch. Harry went over to the table, ignoring his friends 'Oohs' and 'Awhs' as he grabbed his own cloak and slammed his study books shut, one quick glare at the twins before disappearing. He joined Draco at the entrance to the Common Room as they set out together. Harry shoved his hands into his pockets as they awkwardly walked in silence, Draco kept his eyes trained ahead of him whereas Harry looked nervously between his feet and his friend.

Once they were outside the wind blew coldly against their skin as both pulled their cloaks tighter around them. Draco looked out across the scenery as they neared the edge of the mountain side, not far from the schools entrance. This was just another thing Harry missed about Hogwarts; yes the Durmstrang Institute Grounds were gorgeous, but still not quite like home. Harry stood a foot behind Draco, observing him as he tilted his head this way and that, slowly looking around. The brunette laughed out of nowhere, "You blend right in with all this snow y'know," he teased.

"I love the snow, always have." Draco said, ignoring the small taunt, "I may not like being cold but...something about the snow falling has always been beautiful to me," he admitted quietly as Harry listened intently. Draco spun around to face Harry smiling. "Out of curiosity have you spoken to any one from Hogwarts of our...relationship?" he said the word carefully, calculatingly watched Harry's response to it.

Harry's face fell, "I haven't really spoken to Ron and 'Mione, but others...yes. They know I trust you," he whispered.

"Is that all Harry? Do you only trust me?" Draco purred as he stepped further away from the cliff and towards the shivering brunette, the snow fell on his eyelashes which he blinked away.

"Draco, you know that's not all, but I'm not too sure of the rest," he answered truthfully.

"Oh, but I am Harry. I'm sure of how I feel for you. I just do not want to get myself into anything that I know could never last due to extenuating circumstances," he explained.

"Extenuating circumstances? Oh..." a realization hit Harry. Not only were they hundreds of miles from their home, but they both were in the middle of the War sacrificing their lives. "If it's because I won't survive the War, then I understand. I don't want to hurt anybody mor-"

"Dammit Harry! Don't talk like that! I will protect you till my last breath and that's final," Draco growled protectively, annoyed once again at Harry speaking of himself as if he was going to lose, he really was oblivious to the power he held. Harry looked up at him in surprise, "The world would not be the same without its precious Harry Potter. Besides, it's not even the War I was speaking of...it's what happens whenever we get back to Hogwarts that concerns me,"

"What do you mean, 'what happens'?"

"I mean, Potter, you don't want to be seen holding hands with the Prince of Slytherin. How would Weasley and Granger react to that?" Draco pressed softly.

"If they can't accept who I choose to be with, then they aren't really my friends now are they?" Harry countered, though he knew in the pit of his stomach that it was more than that but he pushed it away for now. Hogwarts wasn't any concern of his, they weren't there, they were here, at Durmstrang, together.

Draco took another step forward, nearly closing the distance between them as he began to slowly smile. He reached out and grasped Harry tenderly on his biceps, "Is that what you want Harry, to be with me?"

Harry bit his lower lip and forced himself to continue looking up at Draco as he slowly nodded, "I do... I mean… err... if you want to..."

"Of course I do," Draco whispered as he bent down to capture Harry's lips with his own. They felt so warm compared to the cool wind around them. Neither knew how long they stood there, kissing softly and holding one another, but eventually the cold bit down past their bones. "I am quite pleased now Harry, but...We have a Charms assignment  _and_  that wretched 16 and a half inch essay the werewolf gave us," Draco pointedly said.

Harry groaned and buried his face in the fur of Draco's cloak, "Urgh, sometimes you remind me so much of Hermione."

"Sorry, some of us value our education, Potter. We are at a state of the art Wizardry training school and you're just going to kiss away your valuable work time?" Draco scolded lightly.

"Yeah, got a problem with that?" he grinned and strained his neck upwards to kiss Draco's smile.

* * *

 

He flashed a wicked green grin, as his slitted eyes lit up mirthfully. "We shall make our move on Hallow's Eve" he purred, leaning forward in his armchair.

A short stout man with rounded mousy features and ratted dirty blonde hair sniffled, contracting his arched back. "M'lord?" he asked fearfully, "A-are you sure y-you will be-be ready?"

"Wormtail is right," a tall slim man slid in from the shadows, his long greasy black hair covering most of his pointed pale features. "You have only just been reborn, my Lord. I would advise you to take the more patient route in our pursuit,"

" _Patient?_ " hissed Voldemort, leaning forward more as he glared icily at Severus Snape. "I have been patient, Severus, for the past fifteen years!"

Relentlessly Snape pressed on as he crossed his arms, "And perhaps fifteen years is not enough," Leave it to Severus Snape to counter the Dark Lord fearlessly, defiantly. 

Wormtail gasped at the Dark Lord being insulted by a lowly Potions Master.

Voldemort chuckled lowly, "You dare doubt me?" he suddenly stood from his chair, his wand whipped out of his long cloak pocket and pointed at Severus who stared down at it in surprise. " _Crucio_!" Voldemort hissed.

Snape cried out in immediate pain, falling to his knees with his arms clutched to his sides as he convulsed lightly in pain, trying to hold it in the best he could. "I am the most powerful Wizard to have ever existed. No Half-Blood boy will get in the way of that, do you understand me, Severus?" he yelled down at the Professor's aching, pain-convulsed body.

Slowly, Snape looked up in agony, "Yes, my Lord," he spat through clenched teeth.

Voldemort released the Cruciatus Curse and Snape gasped, somewhat regaining himself before standing up once more, "Good then," the Dark Lord waved his hand as he sat back down, "I will trust you to inform the others that we are to make our move on that night. I shall call you all by the Mark when the time to make preparations has come."

"Yes Milord,"

"Now leave me," Voldemort ordered.

Severus turned to leave as Wormtail humbly turned to his Master sitting across from him. "What else will y-you be n-needing, Master?"

"I said  _leave_." he retorted harshly. Wormtail squeaked and jumped slightly before bowing and rushing out the door fearfully through which Snape had coolly exited.

"Your time has come." Voldemort hissed whilst he was alone in his contemplation. "So sad you will not be able to see the day when I rule the Wizarding World, Harry Potter…"

 


	12. Betrayed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Betrayed  
> By: Avenged Sevenfold

_Passion in my eyes, I lived it everyday, but how could you go throw it all away?  
In my dreams it's me and you, it's there I saw it all come true  
As time went by faith in you grew, so one thing's left for me to do  
_ _I feel it burn inside, burn in me like the rising sun  
_ _Lifted into the sky, took away the only thing I loved  
_ _I know after tonight all your power crumbles in my arms  
_ _So don't worry, I'll be fine, when my life ends, I'll leave this scar_

* * *

 

The days seemed to pass much quicker now for Harry. Though his nights were still plagued with nightmares of the past, he was always softly awoken and comforted by Draco, his constant companion. Their coursework had gotten much heavier than it already was, considering that they were halfway through with their first term at Durmstrang Instituition now. Still, no mail had come of word from Dumbledore or the others. Harry yearned for his friends most days, but whenever he did not he was perfectly content where he was. There was the need for constant caution, even though he and Draco were convinced no one was to act until Beltane as Igor and Greyback had spoken about that one night. It wasn't unknown and was rather obvious of Harry and Draco's closeness to their fellow students, but only their dorm mates knew and kept secret of how intimate their relationship had gotten. They kissed in empty corridors, grasped each others hands underneath the tables, shared glances with one another. They had no need to progress any further, for they were happy with one another where they were.

It was decided amongst the both of them that they would keep their newly budding relationship a secret until they could confidently come out together and once Harry had spoken to Ron and Hermione about it as well as Remus and Sirius. Most of the public was still under the impression that the Malfoy's served the Dark Lord and Voldemort himself thought no different, either. Even if their relationship was made public, it could be seen as a rouse Draco was creating to get closer to Harry, but the brunette knew the truth of it all and that was all that satisfied him.

"Are you sure it looks good enough?" Harry asked, biting his lower lip and giving himself a once over in the full length mirror once again.

Chester rolled his eyes and turned over on his bed, "You're acting like a bloody girl, Potter," he mumbled.

Harry turned to glare at him and quickly picked up the pillow on the bed beside where he stood and threw it at his house mate. "Ouch, you tosser!" he scowled back at the raven-haired youth.

"Well, does it?" Harry urged to the twins who were standing on either side of him.

"I'd say, if I weren't straight..."

"Definitely looks great, Harry, now stop whining about it," Migel grinned and nudged him playfully in the side.

"Besides, d'you really think Malfoy would-"

"Do you really think Malfoy would what?" Draco drawled from the doorway.

Everybody turned their attention to them, including a red-faced Harry who was dressed in the finest new Dress robes for the Halloween Ball. They were black velvet and lined with deep, emerald green. Draco, who had been leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, suddenly drank all of Harry in and his expression froze. He pushed himself up and slowly sauntered towards Harry whose blush increased as he looked Draco over as well. His robes seemed much finer than his, black as well but lined in striking silver. There was also the Malfoy family crest on his breast. "Harry," he whispered as he closed in, the other boys taking a step back, cat-calling softly but the couple seemed unable to hear them. Draco reached up and put Harry's face in his hands and looked softly down at him, "Harry, you look so beautiful," he whispered.

Harry blinked a few times, "Uhm, er...you-you're robes, they match your eyes," he stuttered much to everyone else's amusement. The twins were chuckling and walking over to their beds to get dressed into their own robes, Chester just rolled over on his bed once more.

Draco leaned down and pressed his lips hard to his own boyfriends and felt Harry relax upon the contact. "Get a room!" Quinton yelled over at them.

"We have one. It just so happens that y _ou_  are unfortunately in it at the current moment," Draco snapped back playfully.

"Urgh!" Quinton and Migel shivered together.

"C'mon, we're gonna be late," Harry mumbled, yanking on Draco's sleeve trying to wave off his blush in front of the other boys.

The five of them moved down the staircase, Harry and Draco looking fabulously and dressed so finely almost everybody watched them as they walked by. Whispers hissed in the corridors around them, surprised wide eyes trailed after them. Chester was walking uncomfortably, paying attention to all the spectators and their varied reactions of disgust, confusion or apathy. Migel and Quinton seemed not to notice anything, just as Harry and Draco who ignored the other students. Once they reached the Entrance Hall, the three boys got excited as they were to meet with their own dates. Harry and Draco slowly parted from their friends and dorm mates as they migrated into the Mass Hall. Unlike Hogwarts, there was barely any decorations for this Hallow's Eve Ball. Chandeliers dangled in the dull ceiling, lighting up the room as gentle, classical music wafted through the air with the smell of pumpkin pastries.

Harry and Draco shared a side-long glance as they held tighter to one another's hands. "Shall we?" Draco purred, gesturing towards the open, almost empty ballroom floor that had been cleared for dancing. Only a couple of the older year students were dancing so far.

Nearly the entire Mass Hall watched intently as Harry stumbled onto the dance floor with Malfoy leading him, smirking lightly as he wrapped his arms around his partner's waist. Harry blushed as he too clasped his hands at the back of Draco's neck. They stood nearly touching as their feet swayed with ease about the floor.

"D'you think they, erm..." Harry began.

"Don't worry. There are a lot of openly gay couples here, Harry. The thing that's getting them is that I am a Malfoy and you are Harry Potter," Draco explained softly.

"I'm not gay!" Harry protested in a whisper.

Draco chortled, "Really? Then what are you?"

"I, er...well...I guess I just like you...and they're probably wondering if you've just poisoned me," he mumbled.

"Stop, love. Stop thinking about them. It is just you and me here. They don't exist," Draco whispered. Harry, initially shocked by the fact Draco had just called him love which is the last thing he could have ever imagined him calling him, mutely continued dancing with him. As the song wore on, they came closer together and Harry blanked out the rest of the room just as his boyfriend told him to do.

The night swelled by with dancing and chatting with their dorm mates, ignoring the rude catcalls that came from the few brave enough to say something against their togetherness. Most Durmstrang students avoided them, for fear of ruining what could be an extension of Voldemort's plans. Late through the night, Harry was joined by the twins as they sat at a table on the sidelines of the dance floor. Draco had gone off somewhere with Chester, moving around to other groups to talk to all of their acquaintances via their families. 

"I wouldn't worry about any of these students, mate," Migel began comfortingly.

"Yeah, they don't care about what isn't their business and unlike those nosy students at Hogwarts they just haven't the time to go to the Daily Prophet about this-and-that nonsense,"

"Your relationship with Draco isn't worth the effort, really. No worries, you're in good hands here," Migel winked along with his identical brother.

Harry smiled thankfully, "I appreciate it guys. One less thing to worry about...now, just gotta make sure that-"

"Oops, sorry  _Potter_ ," Nyle Rosenburg spat venomously as he had bumped into the back of Harry's chair, brushing up roughly against him.

Harry turned around to glare at him but said nothing as him and his usual cronies sniggered and continued on by.

"One of these days," Harry mumbled darkly, glaring up over his cup of Butterbeer as he took a sip, his eyes trailing on the Aequor students.

"Why couldn't they be in Caelum or something?" Quinton hissed.

"Obviously, we're not that lucky brother," Migel responded sourly, all three taking large gulps from their cups.

As the minutes wore on and they got off the subject of their moody house mates and continued drinking. Harry began to feel hot. He didn't know if it was the amount of people crammed into the Mass Hall, or the twins dates that had joined them at the table making it more crowded, but his breathing became shallow and sweat beaded off his forehead. Feeling his lungs constrict painfully, Harry winced and finished off the last of his Butterbeer before standing and excusing himself from the table. He needed some cool, fresh air to relieve his tenseness.

Coming outside onto the freezing grounds gave an initial shock to Harry. He usually wasn't out on the mountain this late in the evening, with the air thick and crisp, the snow was falling heavily and pitch darkness surrounded him. Harry turned back to the small, dire looking castle of Durmstrang Institute and sighed heavily. He shoved his hands in his pockets and pulled his dress robes closer to himself.

He missed Hogwarts incredibly. Even though the classes were more informative and definitely prepared Harry more for the Final Battle, he couldn't help but miss his friends, his routines, playing Quidditch, going down to Hagrid's for tea..but then the upside of Durmstrang was the relationship he had built with Draco. He had never felt this way about anybody before and he couldn't quite understand exactly where it was coming from. Harry stopped questioning it and just went with it, it made things much more simpler. Harry was coming to the conclusion that this was what love was, if he could call it that. Unexplainable, sudden, endearing, surprising, and the true gift of caring about somebody with all ones heart.

"Oh, hey there Potty...feeling a little off?" Nyle snickered from behind.

Harry turned quickly to face him, but in doing so slightly knocked the wind out of his already constricted lungs. He narrowed his eyes at his house mate, "Rosenburg, what do you want?" he snapped, wrapped his hand around his wand in his pocket.

Nyle slowly raised his eyebrow, "I already have what I want. Goodnight, Potter," he grinned manically.

Harry stared in confusion and hatred at the older boy until all of a sudden a heat burst up through his lungs and cascaded all on the inside of his body. It burned, like a fire being built up underneath his ribcage. Harry struggled not to scream as pain shot through him and he fell to his knees. He strained to look up at Nyle who now loomed over top of him, smirking evilly. The last thing he remembered before total darkness, was that boys hateful snicker and the sting of the cold snow on his skin.

* * *

"Harry, has anybody seen Harry?" Draco asked hurriedly, his breath caught in his throat as he frantically questioned his dorm mates.

"Calm down, Draco! We told you he went outside for some fresh air..."  
  
"Outside? By himself? What in Merlin were you imbociles thinking?" Draco spat before turning on his heel and running away from the twins and their dates towards the entrance hall of Durmstrang.

Upon exitting the Mass Hall, Draco came face-to-face with Rosenburg who was shivering and had snow on the top of his head and cloak. He was grinning at Draco as he crossed his arms. "Malfoy," he nodded in greeting.

"Rosenburg," Draco growled lowly. It was obvious he had just come from outside, where Harry supposedly was. This already wasn't looking too good for Draco's Harry...

"Ah, Mister Malfoy. Would you please join me outside momentarily?" Igor Karkaroff had appeared behind Nyle, Fenrir Greyback not far behind him.

Draco stiffened and pursed his lips, "Certainly, sir," he ground out between his teeth. He walked alongside the Headteacher, Greyback behind them as they escorted one another out onto the steep, cliff grounds of the school.

"I would like to thank you for overseeing Mister Potter until the time was right for him to be taken. You will be greatly rewarded by our Lord. The time for you has now come m'boy," Igor said, gesturing out further down the grounds where a group of people dressed all in black robes were bustling about. Some were apparating away already in loud cracks.

Draco's mouth fell open but he quickly shut it, he needed to play his cards right if he wanted to keep himself safe and try to bring Harry to safety as well. "Go on then, Malfoy. Lucius is waiting for you," Fenrir pushed Draco's back slightly and Igor gave a nod of acceptance.

"M-my Father?" Draco stuttered quietly, looking down at the mass of black figures, disappearing one-by-one into the night. Draco swallowed heavily and trudged through the foot of snow towards the group of You-Know-Who's followers.

_'Please be safe Harry, please be safe_ ,'

* * *

 

_I started here so young and helped you get along_  
Just did it for the love, and people healed through us  
Don't live your life in vain, don't take it out on me  
You're cracked, so just remember, I'm not your enemy  
I don't deserve to fall this way, by a man who felt betrayed


	13. M.I.A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: M.I.A  
> By: Avenged Sevenfold

_Now fighting rages on and on  
_ _To challenge me you must be strong  
_ _I walk your land but don`t belong  
_ _Two million soldiers can`t be wrong  
_ _It`s not fun but I`ve been here before  
_ _I`m far from home and I`m fighting your war  
_ _Not the way I pictured this, I wanted better things.  
_ _Some are scared, others killing for fun  
_ _I shot a mother right in front of her son  
_ _Take this from my consciousness, and please erase my dreams.  
_ _Fight for honour, fight for your life  
_ _Pray to God that our side is right  
_ _Know we won, I still may lose  
_ _Until I make it home to you_

* * *

Harry awoke and immediately was pumped with adrenaline. He had no idea just how long he had been out for, but the fact that he was still alive was a relatively good sign. Yet, his lightning bolt scar throbbed mercilessly, his throat was dry and his wrists seemed to be shackled behind his back to the wall of the stone cold room he sat in. It was obvious by the rhythmic drip of water and the pitch darkness that Harry was in a secluded dungeon. Another conclusion Harry had come to, upon waking, was that Voldemort was nearby.

' _I thought he wasn't going to be prepared till Beltane!'_  his mind panicked. Taking a few deep breaths Harry forced himself into a calm state. He had to stay rational in order to handle this. Closing his eyes he concentrated on what he had to accomplished first. He then whispered the word, ' _Alohomora_ ,' and guided his magical energy to the locks on his cuffs. They opened with a resounding  _click_  and Harry quickly got to his feet, massaging his bruised wrists. He searched his robes finding nothing, it was obvious his wand had been confiscated.

Placing one of his hands on the stone wall, Harry softly traced the square room until he found the heavily locked door. Several times he attempted to unlock it using wandless magic, yet the door seemed to have quite a strong ward placed around it.

Finally, the conclusion of sending out his Patronus came to him. He conjured up his replica Prongs almost as if it were second nature. The translucent stag heeded to its Maker.

"Find Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts," he instructed, keeping it simple knowing the Wizard would be able to figure out his reasoning in sending his Patronus.

Only seconds after Prongs faded through the cell wall, the door just beside where Harry stood swung open. Before he had time to prepare himself, the Cruciatus Curse was coarsing through his body painfully from the tip of Peter Pettigrew's wand. Voldemort, Macnair Sr., Rosenburg Sr., and Lucius Malfoy all stood towering overtop of Harry's quivering body as the raven-haired youth slowly got a hold of himself and ignoring the hot pain, brought himself up onto one knees.

"That's it, Harry. Respect your superiors, I always wondered how long it was going to take you to kneel before me," Voldemort hissed.

Harry's piercing emerald eyes looked up from under his fringe, "Never," he said maliciously as he spat down at the creature-of-a-man's feet.

Voldemort's face slowly curled into a scowl and with one swift, kick he landed his foot heavily in Harry's ribs.

Harry winced but bit his lips to ensure not even a whimper escaped him. He didn't want to show any weakness in front of Voldemort - especially with witnesses. "You are nothing more than an ungrateful brat!" hissed the Dark Lord.

Wormtail cackled, "Lily and James died for nothing," he teased, the other Death Eaters snickered. Harry ignored the tyrant Marauder and instead focused his attention on Lucius who had remained silent still. He also seemed to be doing his best not to look at Harry. Harry's head finally jumped to thoughts of Draco. The only person he could trust at Durmstrang... was it all a trick? A simple act to catch Harry off guard? Did Draco's Unbreakable Vow mean something else?

_'It can't be_ ,' he thought in a desperate moment,  _'He wouldn't do that. Draco's not like that...he...he..._ '

Harry's mind flashed back to Draco holding him what seemed only hours ago on the dance floor. His silver eyes bashfully shone down at him, portraying more love in one look than anything Harry had ever felt before. The comfort of his lover's close touch, those slender arms that held him tight, would that awake him from this nightmares?

_'It just can't all be a lie._ '

_'Why can't it? He is a Malfoy...'_  he argued with himself.

_'It can't-It can't...it can't because I love him!_ ' he countered, even visibly turning his cheeks red.

"What's this, I hear?" Voldemort sneered, perking his head up as his slimy fingers twisted around his wand, jeering down at Harry.

Harry raised his head in even more vile recognition. Voldemort continued, "Is this  _love_  I hear about, Harry?" The skin on the back of his neck stood up, his eyes grew marginally wide as he sucked in a hurtful breath. He had forgotten, in a moment of weakness, just how close Voldemort was to him sometimes. There was no doubt he had just used Leglimency with such ease and heard Harry's thoughts.

"Lucius, remind me to further reward your precious Son for convincing our little Potter so well!" Voldemort's mouth snaked into a sly grin.

Lucius immediately looked towards Harry, quick to hide his shock. But Harry had caught it; what had it really meant? "Thank you, m'lord. Draco is a fine student,"

"Ah, that he is...and apparently a finer lover, don't you say Harry boy?" he teased, laughing darkly.

"What do you mean?" Lucius snipped coolly, not wanting rumors to befall of his son or for his true incentive to be known.

"It seems he has convinced Harry here that he's in love!" Voldemort laughed more manically now, sending chills down Harry's spine.

_'So that's it? It's all an act? All these feelings he made me feel...NONE OF THEM WERE REAL?_ ' he was screaming inside of his head, now having his Occlumency walls built up so that Voldemort could not hear him this time.

"And you think you could be so foolish as to sending a little Patronus off to Dumbledore? You're not getting out of here, Potter, do not dream otherwise," he spat, bringing his wand to flicker again as he hissed, " _Crucio_ ,".

It was harder for Harry to bite down his scream this time, he whimpered loudly and convulsed hard, only to straighten himself up once again. Voldemort's Curse had been much, much stronger than Wormtail's. Not that anything different would have been expected. "You are staying right here, Potter. Until I am through with you. Don't worry, it won't be long," he chortled before turning on his heel and leading the way out of the dungeon.

Harry stared heatedly at the door after it was closed. He growled deeply, "Fuck!" he swore angrily. ' _Great, how did I get myself into this one? I remember the Ball...Migel and Quinton...going outside...why was I outside? Who was with me?_ ' he groaned, the rest of his memory until he woke up was too hazy to recall.  _'Now... how do I get out?_ '

His mind raced to fit together puzzle pieces, attempting to figure out his situation at hand, but the aftereffects of whatever he had been given on top of the pain that burned from his scar in being so close to Voldemort made it too difficult to concentrate.

It seemed as though hours slinked by, though for all Harry knew it could have been mere minutes. Then there was a single pair of footsteps outside of his door, Harry stood and prepared himself. He felt no heightened pain in his forehead meaning it wasn't Voldemort - which was definitely a good sign.

The door swung open and shut once again rather fast. Harry stood to face Lucius Malfoy who held his illuminated wand forward. "What do you want?" Harry hissed. At this point he would have preferred Wormtail's presence, for the resemblance Draco held to his Father was paining Harry.

"There is not an abundance of time, Potter, so you must listen carefully," Lucius began, his voice sounded so calm though his grey eyes were urgent, "The Dark Lord intends to sacrifice you tomorrow evening. I refuse to let that happen, for more reasons than just those concerning my Son's safety,"

"So...it's true then? The Unbreakable Vow he made with you?" Harry whispered incredulously.

"Quite true. Now, I will let you free from this cell, but I am afraid your wand is irretrievable. This Portkey," Lucius held out a silver, plain ring and handed it to Harry, "should transport you to Hogsmeade at exactly midnight, which is in forty-five minutes. Take the safest path to Hogwarts from there. Most unfortunately, there are numerous wards protecting this place, The Riddle Manor, and you must leave the grounds before it is active. Do you understand?" Lucius asked.

Harry wearily nodded. He was expected to make it past Voldemort and a bunch of Death Eaters...wandless? Swallowing hard he croaked, "Is Draco alright? Where is he?" his concern was evident.

Lucius pursed his lips and looked away from Harry as he crossed his arms, "He is eagerly waiting news of you back at Durmstrang. The Dark Lord promises to reward him for doing so well in watching you...but ultimately, he is bound to protect you. Even if he was not, it seems as though he would risk his life for yours," he sighed heavily.

Harry couldn't help but feel a little more prosperous about his current situation. Not only was Draco telling him the truth the entire time, but he was also trying to keep from getting in harms way. Suddenly enthused to get back to his lover and out of the grasps of Voldemort, Harry eagerly clenched his knuckles as he racked his subconscious mind of all the wandless magic he knew that could assist his escape. "I don't know why you did all this for me, but thank you," he said sincerely to Malfoy.

"Do  _not_  be mistaken, Potter, I did all of this only because I believe it is right for my family," Lucius snarled and then softened slightly, "And, so it seems though the miraculous danger you put him in, you are right for my son,"

Harry's eyes went wide, "T-thank you, how did you know about us?"

"Draco had written to me long ago about his feelings and the developments of your...relationship. Now hurry, we have run quite thin on time," he urged heavily.

Harry nodded in understanding and made a move towards the door before pausing, "Even though you sent him to protect me, I promise to protect Draco with everything I have," and before Lucius could respond, Harry was out of the cell and down the corridor of the empty dungeon in a rush. It was a little confusing, but Harry knew he couldn't stop moving although he had no idea where he was headed. He wished dearly for his wand, not only for better protection but also so that he could use Point Me to get out of there faster.

Once he came to the very end of the dungeon, there was a thick steel door which he leaned up carefully against. He heard no footsteps but definitely voices on the otherwise. It was a series of mumbles, and after a moment Harry deciphered that there were two Death Eaters on the other side of the door, they must be the guards of the dungeon.

Taking a deep breath and putting a curse in his head, Harry opened the door up and immediately said, ' _Stupefy! Stupefy!_ ' stunning the two oversized guards. They looked relatively familiar, it only took him a second more to realize it was Crabbe and Goyle Sr. Cringing down at his old school mates beefy parents Harry quickly looked up and down the darkened corridors. He took the one on the left. The Riddle Manor seemed narrow, hollow and ancient. The wood floorboards creaked beneath his eager, uneven footsteps and the walls hung with portraits of past Riddle's with layers of dust on them. It seemed appearances didn't matter much to Voldemort, even in his Headquarters.

At the end of the corridor, there was a small group of four hooded Death Eaters conversing over by what seemed to be the Entrance Hall. Harry held his breath. He had to do this as silently and quickly as possible.

" _Atrum cella_ ," Harry whispered, concentrating his core on the darkness that began to envelop around him. Then, with a burst from his energy the darkness sprang across to the room where the Death Eaters had been conversing and filled it completely.

There was yells and screams of confusion, Harry was inside the dark mass himself but much more calm than the startled Wizards. "There are no other prisoners here, it must be Potter! Get him!" screamed one of them.

" _Avada Kedavra!_ " Harry yelled the Unforgivable off in each wayward direction, hoping it would be powerful enough to hit all the Death Eaters. He knew it was wrong, but he was trained to kill and not just to defend. The more that were dead on Voldemort's side meant the less that would die on his own, and that was more important to Harry than anything else. There were only three reassuring, incapacitating thuds to the floor. Harry's Total Darkness spell was wearing off, he had to get out of there fast.

He bolted towards the front door, swung it open and looked over his shoulder just in time to see the remaining Death Eater glaring after him, his wand pointed to his own Dark Mark which churned underneath his skin. Harry winced, the Wizard had just called together everybody else, including Voldemort. People in black cloaks barrelled down the stairs in great numbers and, by the pain which began to grow in Harry's forehead, Voldemort would soon be amongst them. Harry growled out in frustration and took off down the front of the lawn, seeing no reason to stand back and fight off that many Death Eaters, and let them run after him as well. He continuously threw his Protego shield up as he ran, lungs burning in exhaustion in accordance with his legs as he pushed himself to the limits.

At the edge of the Grounds Harry came upon a painful, familiar place. It was the Graveyard he had been Portkeyed to in Fourth Year from the Triwizard Tournament. Where Cedric Diggory had been murdered. Harry couldn't waste any time with moments of sickened nostalgia as he turned around quickly to see a throng of men with curses flying out the ends of their wands, rushing towards him with everything they had, screaming at the tops of their lungs for him.

The gates weren't much further as Harry continued down towards them. The Death Eaters may be more skilled and experienced than he with their magic, but they were not as young and fit as Harry was. He was a better and faster runner without a doubt. It wasn't hard for him to reach the edge of the Grounds but he didn't stop there. He was going to keep running until he could safely be Portkeyed away at midnight.

" _Tempus_ ," Harry breathed, and the time ghosted in front of his face for a moment in a smoke reading ' _11:48_ '. He had twelve minutes before the Portkey activated.

Those twelve minutes felt the longest for Harry, as he stubbornly refused to stop running although he was almost completely confident they had ceased following him. The Death Eaters probably would not cause a scene in front of Muggles, and although there were no Muggles around it was a non-magical village where the Riddle Manor was located. If they were seen by others and the news of it got back to the Ministry of Magic, their Headquarters would not be very secret for very long and would be infiltrated by hundreds of Aurors within an hour. When Harry felt he had nothing left in him, when he felt ready to give up and let them find him, the ring on his index finger turned white hot and he winced. Just before he was yanked into blackness, Harry felt that familiar, nauseating tug at his naval.

* * *

 

_Grew up so fast, where did those years go  
_ _Memories won`t let you cry  
_ _Unless I don`t return tonight.  
_ _Watching the death toll rise  
_ _Wondering how I`m alive  
_ _Stranger`s blood on my hands, shot all I can.  
_ _There were no silent nights  
_ _Watching your brothers all die  
_ _To destroy all their plans with no thought of me  
_ _Walk the city lonely  
_ _Memories that haunt are passing by  
_ _A murderer walks your streets tonight  
_ _Forgive me for my crimes  
_ _Don`t forget that I was so young  
_ _Fought so scared in the name of God and country._


	14. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Home  
> By: Breaking Benjamin

_I've got a little red bow  
_ _And I bought it for you  
_ _'cause I know you're not fair  
_ _I don't get it, oh well  
_ _and you colour my skin  
_ _But the colours don't blend  
_ _'Cause I'm gonna get you  
_ _and you're little dog too.  
_ _There's a yellow brick road  
_ _That we follow back home  
_ _There's no place like home._

* * *

The wind whipped through the hollow streets of Hogsmeade; the candles on store front windows long blown out, the rain pattered down lightly into overflowing puddles. Without even stopping to think, Harry bolted towards the edge of the Wizarding village to where the Shrieking Shack stood on its own. Harry entered through the front door and headed to the tunnel through the floor boards. All of his senses were on overload, paying attention to the smallest of movements as he went over counter curses continuously in his head. His nerves refused to cool down until he exited the pathway nearby an hour later. After touching the knot to still the Whomping Willow, he found what energy was left in him to run to the castle of Hogwarts, a beckoning vision of hope, freedom and safety.

Despite the dire circumstances, Harry felt nostalgia creep up as he came through the Entrance Halls of his old school. Over the past five years it really had become the definition of home to him. Knowing it was past curfew, Harry hurried his way to the Wing of the Castle where he knew the entrance to Dumbledore's office was. He couldn't spare any further delays - he didn't want Draco to get sick of worrying, waiting for his return to Durmstrang.

He stood anxiously at the statue of the Eagle, his mind racing with names of Muggle candies and before he could spill any of them, the statue sprang to life and a staircase was turned upwards from the floor. Harry smiled thankfully for Dumbledore's near-omniscience as the old Headmaster, the greatest Wizard alive, descended down the stairs in a light blue robe. His long silver hair was tangled from wayward sleep, he looked grim and weary beneath his half-moon glasses instead of cheery and prosperous as he usually was.

"Mr Potter," Dumbledore began calmly, "We must bring you to Madame Pomfrey, but please let us not waste any time," he then swept past Harry who confusedly blinked before hurriedly following the Headmaster.

"Sir, I'm fine really bu-"

"Do you know who it was that took you, Harry?"

"Took me? Er, no sir. I've been trying to think...hang on, how did you know I was even taken?" Harry asked, stopping in his stride.

Dumbledore swiped around and had an flashing fiery look in his eye as he grabbed a handful of Harry's clothes in his hand, "Your magical aura is severely wounded, I can see it Mr Potter. So you don't know who. Please, tell me how and where to were you taken?"

"I-I still can't remember how. I think I was poisoned, or Obliviated, because I can't recall any of it. Last I remember I was leaving the Hallow's Eve Ball at Durmstrang and then...then I woke up as a prisoner in the Riddle Manor," Harry had begun walking hastily beside the old man once more who sent him a quick sideways glance.

"The Riddle Manor, you say? What happened there, can you remember any faces, Harry? Any at all?" Dumbledore's questions all seemed rushed, his breath hitched. Harry hadn't seen him this frantic, and he decided it best to leave his own questions till later.

"Yessir. There was Wormtail, Macnair, Rosenburg and Malfoy. B-But Lucius helped me! If it weren't for him and Draco, I would've never gotten away!" Harry quickly added.

"Voldemort was there, Harry?"

"Yessir, I think that's their Headquarters, they were everywhere!"

"Now Harry, I need you to listen quickly to me for the whereabouts of Tom Riddle are matters that need to be dealt with immediately. I awoke as soon as you broke the wards of the Castle and Firecalled Madame Pomphrey who is waiting for you in the Hospital Wing. Tell her all that you can and I will rejoin you when it is possible," Dumbledore quickly ordered, his high tone of authority firmly in place.

"But-"

"Harry, time is not our friend!" Dumbledore hissed importantly.

Harry swallowed and nodded slowly before watching Dumbledore turn away and suddenly disapparate without a sound. Of course he was the only one that could do that in his own castle. He then made his way to the Hospital Wing, where surely enough Madame Pomphrey stood at the entrance ushering him in.

"I can't say I'm happy to see you here again, Potter," she mumbled tiredly, still in her nightgown as she led him to a bed.

Harry attempted to chuckle but instead only rasped. He did as he was told and as Madame Pomphrey examined him, he explained the details of all that he could remember from the night of Halloween until the moment he sat in the Hospital Wing. The mediwtich made hymns and haws the entire time, listening carefully to his story as well as finishing off her tests.

"Alright then, I want you to take one of these now and rest up. When you wake up, there'll be another one on your bedside table and you will need to take it. I'll assess you again in the morning Mr Potter, but for now your body needs to regenerate itself," Poppy explained tiredly.

"But, I really feel fine. Shouldn't I-"

"It is your magical core that is most damaged, Mr Potter, and it is what needs the rest. In the morning, Professor Dumbledore will have returned from his business and will wish to speak with you I am most certainly positive. Now drink this and sleep," she clipped, shoving an uncorked vial of clear liquid in Harry's direction.

He eyed it for a moment before taking it into his own hands and throwing the icy liquid down his throat. Right after he swallowed, he couldn't even remember going to sleep.

* * *

"Shush, Ronald! Do you not remember being told to keep his appearance  _secret_?" Hermione's voice drifted in from the corridor just as the morning sun began to rise.

"Yeah, but who else is awake at this bloody hour anyway 'Mione?" Ron countered before he stifled a yawn. Harry slowly woke and began to grin as he heard the usual bickering of his two best friends. He pulled himself up on his bed and quickly downed the second potion Madame Pomfrey had left for him. He rubbed his eyes just as he heard the two Gryffindor's enter the Hospital Wing. "Oi mate, you're awake!" Ron said in surprise as he made quicker steps over to his friends bed, Hermione on his heels. He hugged him tightly before sitting down on the chairs around the bed.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Hermione asked softly after breaking away from a hug from him as well.

"Quite fine, really. Merlin, am I glad to see you two, it feels like its been  _years_ ," he smirked, and even as he said that and his friends slowly smiled back at him, he felt as though the three were still closer than ever. Even with their lines of communication cutoff for months, he still believed them to be inseperable even by time.

"Yeah well, it's not really the best reason to be seeing you now is it," Ron chuckled, and with that snaked his arm around Hermione's shoulders who sat in the chair next to his.

Harry raised his eyebrow and couldn't help but let out a laugh at that, "So er, Dumbledore told you then?" he asked, not wanting to explain the events of the night before again.

"Professor McGonagall did. It must have been so terrible, Harry!" Hermione sighed sadly.

Harry shrugged, he needn't be reminded of something that couldn't be changed. "So when did you two finally happen?" he asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh, uhm...back in September. We were going to tell you but, never really got the chance to be honest," Ron blushed deeply as Hermione looked away, almost as if they were ashamed that Harry hadn't known.

"Well congrats on finally getting it together then you two! I'm happy for you," Harry said truthfully. And then reality hit him.

His lips recalled the soft touch of Draco's on his own. His arms around that slim body, his eyes gazing into those of liquid silver, and his rough fingers fumbling over his boyfriend's alabaster skin. He choked. Harry felt more distant from his friends now then when he was at Durmstrang.

"You seem much happier than when you first left for Durmstrang," Hermione admitted curiously.

"Yeah, it's, er, not as bad as I'd have thought. I've met a few good people and the lessons are fantastic - you would love it, 'Mione. I really think they could help me with fighting Voldemort in the future," Harry admitted shyly, pushing down the pink blush that was rising on his cheeks at the thought of why he was so happy nowadays. It was all in his cunning, understanding, beautiful and intelligent companion. How was he supposed to just come out and confess his relationship with Draco Malfoy to two of the people the boy used to tease the most back at Hogwarts?

"That's fantastic. Too bad there aren't any girls for you to date over there," Ron winked, snuggling Hermione closer to him as she surpressed a small giggle.

"Uh, yeah, about that..."

The doors to the Hospital Wing suddenly swung open and in walked Dumbledore followed by Snape, Lupin and a large Black dog. "Sirius!" Harry called at once with a sloppy smile.

The large dog jumped onto of the bed and began to lick Harry's face happily in greeting. Harry laughed and patted his Godfather merrily before he leapt off and transformed into himself and winked at the boy. "Glad to see you're doing better, Harry," he smirked.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey informed me that no serious damage was done. None that she did not reverse anyway," Albus spoke slowly, more calmly than he had been doing the night before.

Harry looked around at all the adults in the room and noticed the exhaustion on all their faces. "You didn't...goto Riddle Manor, did you sir?" he asked the older wizard.

"Yes Harry we did. Only a few minor Death Eaters remained and were successfully captured. It seems they relocated as soon as they found you inevitably escaped their grasps,"

"Smart Death Eaters," Sirius mumbled with a slight air of lightness in his voice.

"Lucius was still there and was glad to hear of your safety," Snape slurred between his clenched teeth.

"Malfoy? Why the bloody hell would he care?" Ron snapped, Hermione and Harry both turned to glare at him.

"We're all glad to see you're doing well Harry, but there's still much raiding of the Riddle Manor to be done," Remus said with a small, tired smile.

"Of course, I understand Moony," Harry nodded quickly, but then turned forlorningly to Sirius.

"Thankfully, I'm still Undesirable No.1, meaning you have me to your immediate disposal," his Godfather grinned largely, Harry mirroring him.

"I will return when your visiting is finished and Madame Pomphrey is convinced you are free to go, Harry. For now, I have a guest most anxious to see you," Dumbledore announced, a small smile creeping up his face. Harry immediately smiled from ear-to-ear, it was almost blinding to those around him who had never seen him smile quite like that. 

_Draco._

"Please, sir, please send him in,"

Dumbledore nodded and began to lead Remus and Severus out of the Hospital Wing so they could return to the Riddle Manor amongst the throngs of Aurors. Just before he left he turned to smile over at Harry once more, "Congratulations on your new relationship, Harry. I find that in these times we cannot have enough people to trust,"

Harry turned crimson as all of those three of his friends remaining turned questioningly in his direction, "Thank you sir, I'm rather happy about it myself," he blushed.

"Happy about what, exactly?" Ron began to slowly ask.

Just as Dumbledore left, the sound of running footsteps were heard on the stone floor and an ill-kept Draco Malfoy burst through the Hospital Wing doors and ran straight over to Harry's bed. Ignoring the others presence, he immediately jumped up on top of the bed and tightly embraced Harry into his arms who melted into the familiar, comforting touch. Sod appearances and keeping up with façades, they had nearly lost each other and both even thought they truly had the evening before.

Even Ron's murderous, bedazzled and confused screams didn't reach their ears as they embraced, as if they had been separated by years.  Draco pulled back slightly to look down at Harry and the emerald eyed boy decided to keep it to himself that he saw tears shining but unshed in those silver eyes as he tenderly clasped his face in his hands.

"Oh Harry, I was so scared. Merlin swear it, never do that to me again. Please never do that to me again," he begged softly and then bent down to capture Harry's dried lips in his own. Harry sighed and kissed his boyfriend back before a shout of rage filled his eardrums and this time he was able to register it.

"MR WEASLEY YOU WILL KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN IN MY INFIRMARY! And Mr. Malfoy!" Madame Pomphrey said with utter surprise before turning her eye on him, "For whatever reason you are...assaulting my patient as you are, you will get off his bed this instant! This is a Hospital Wing, not a Droxy circus!" she cursed and mumbled before toddling away.

Draco smirked down at Harry before quickly kissing him once more, "Sorry for _assaulting_ you,"

"No need, you're free to do it any time," Harry smirked before realizing the implications of his own words and blushed harshly once more, making Draco laugh - a sound the two Gryffindor's hadn't truly heard.

"Well, you said you and Draco had gotten close but this isn't what I thought it was. Either way, I'm glad you've found somebody, Harry," Sirius smirked; he seemed not to be phased and genuinely pleased.

"Thanks, Padfoot," Harry smiled half-heatedly, considering he couldn't get Hermione's pink face and Ron's rageful one out of his side vision.

"Listen, I can explain..."

"Explain why the bloody hell you were snogging the Ferret?" Ron snapped testily.

Draco raised an elegant eyebrow as he looked down to examine his fingernails nonchalantly, "I would choose your words wisely, Weasley. I believe by this point Harry has described the level of Dark Magic they teach us at Durmstrang," he teased and threatened lightly, almost playfully. 

"I-I'm really confused," Hermione spoke up softly.

"I said I'd explain, please just let me..."

"I will, I will," she quickly said, "I'm just confused about Mal-Draco,"

"Hm? The All-Knowing Granger getting confused? I thought that was unheard of!" Draco taunted.

"Draco," Harry whispered under his breath, his boyfriend's attitude wasn't going to help him any.

"It's just that...you've both been the top bachelor's of Witch Weekly for Two years now...and now you're together? What are people going to  _do_?" Hermione whispered, she looked seriously perplexed by the situation.

Draco, Sirius, Harry and even the angered Ron shared a look before they all spoke one word at the same time,

"Women,"

 


	15. A Dark Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no song for this chapter.

Harry looked between the people who meant the most to him; his Godfather, his lover and his two best friends. It was only Draco and Sirius who smiled back, as the other couple still awaited for his explanation. The stick there was that he had no idea how he could entirely explain it, his feelings for Draco and where they came from. "School has become so difficult. I'm not really talking about the assignments, but the students. I feel like everybody there is out to kill me, sell me to their parents whenever they can, and not even mentioning Greyback," Harry sighed, bringing a hand to rub his temple as he started. Draco reached forward and held his freehand gently despite Ron's glare at the touch, "And Draco's the only one there I can truly trust. Him and his Father are the reason I made it out alive," he urged gently, they needed to see come kind of point into accepting their relationship; and with Draco's attitude, Harry doubted he would ever give them one himself.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore told us that..." Hermione trailed off and then turned with a pushed smile to the blonde, "Thank you, for that Malfoy. Er, taking care of Harry for us when we couldn't,"

A short, cold laugh was her response, "Like I was doing that as a favour to  _you_ ," he hissed.

Hermione tightly pursed her lips, having her vein attempt at trying to be civil was shot down she turned to see the reaction of her boyfriend. "I don't like him, Harry. Even if you say you can trust him...once a slimey git, always a Slytherin," he grumbled between his teeth, "But if you want to be with him, it's your funeral. I'm just not bloody well going to be happy about it, he's a rotten bugger and you deserve better," Ron finished begrudgingly.

Draco slowly raised his eyebrow, "I agree with Weasley for once on this one," he said, much to everybody's shock as their jaws dropped. "Harry deserves the best in the world and I do not know if I am fit to give that to him, but I can promise that I will give him absolutely everything I have," he squeezed his boyfriend's hand who blushed back adoringly.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron cursed, jerking his head away from the two as he stubbornly crossed his arms.

Hermione frowned disappointingly at her own boyfriend and then slowly turned an awkward, forced smile at the couple. "Sounds like you'll take great care of him, Malfoy," she offered.

"I have not being doing so as of yet, seeing as he was kidnapped and illegally imprisoned as of late," Draco pouted lightly, obviously a little upset with himself for not being able to intervene the situation earlier than he and his Father did.

"I think you've been doing brilliant. I mean he's  _smiling_  which is an improvement from the summer and you can't hope to keep him safe forever...I mean, even if he wasn't Harry Potter, he's still James' son and he's definitely a Little Prongster," Sirius winked at Harry who shook his head, laughing beneath his breath.

"He does have a knack for trouble, doesn't he? Ah well, it will keep me on my toes I suppose," the blonde smirked. A loud voice interrupted their conversation from the corridor outside of the Hospital Wing. Harry and Draco immediately recognized it and jumped in their seats, both their eyes going wide and searching one another's with equal surprise.

"He will return at once!" the thick accent demanded.

"That is for my Mediwitch to determine, Headteacher. I would also like to investigate how such a thing could occur under your watchful eye," Albus countered calmly as ever, his voice just barely loud enough for the occupants of the Hospital Wing to hear.

" _Investigate_? There will be no such thing at my Institution, Albus! This is disrupting my students education and I will not tolerate it! They are both returning with me this instant and there are no further questions that will stop me!" he boomed.

Harry swallowed heavily and clenched his fingers around Draco's digits as he slung his legs off the side of his bed. "It's Karkaroff come to collect us," Harry explained quickly to Hermione, Ron and Sirius. Igor stalked into the room, the doors swinging haphazardly on their hinges from his violent push as Albus walked in more calmly behind him. He approached his two students and turned a weary eye on where Sirius had been in his chair, for now sat a mangy black dog.

"Good morning, Igor. What brings you here?" Draco asked calmly, that air of ignorance and superiority washing over him.

"Ah, Draco. How I still hold respect for you despite your certain allegiance's is beyond my comprehension. Leaving the school grounds unattended by-"

"My Father saw it rather fit that I appear here to collect Harry myself. He was just finishing his goodbye's now, as it was before you arrived. I apologize that I gave you no warning, but I wanted to return as soon as possible," he said fluently, his intense silver eyes never leaving his Headteacher's.

Pursing his lips, Igor turned to Harry with a scowl, "Finish your goodbye's, we are due at our Portkey outside of the wards in ten minutes," he snapped before turning on his heel and stalking towards the door. Before exitting he called back, "And one month of detention for you Mr Potter, for leaving school grounds unattended!" Before one could argue, he was gone.

"Hurry now Harry, I doubt you would like to keep our friend Igor waiting," Dumbledore winked, a small twinkling smile climbing onto his face.

Harry nodded and turned to hug Hermione and a reluctant Ron. "Take care of yourselves, both of you," Hermione said softly.

"Always do," Harry returned, "You take care, too. Bye Padfoot, I'll miss you," he said, bending down to pat the large black dog on the head who looked up with rounded eyes.

"Goodbye Granger, Weasley and dear c _ousin_ ," Draco directed at Padfoot. The two then grabbed one another's hands and walked over to Dumbledore who began to lead them out of the Hospital Wing.

* * *

Harry was oddly glad to return to the now familiar halls of Durmstrang Institution. Of course they would never replace the spot reserved for Hogwarts in his heart, but at least it was a place that he now understand and felt slightly comfortable in, despite always being on edge due to the status of those around him. His first day back to classes was strange in itself. He had expected people to ask about where he had been, what had happened, but the only ones that did were Chester, Migel and Quinton. Of course he didn't relay the exact events, still not positive on their parents standings and involvement in the coming War, he instead lied and said he had taken a leave to visit his friends at Hogwarts. Not a completely false statement at least.

Draco was by his side every second of the day and after the first week back, things were beginning to turn to normal. Except the fact that he could be found in the library nearly constantly. Harry didn't want to spend anymore time in the Dormitory than he needed. Not that he didn't like his dorm mates, he was just skeptical of his fellow Aequor housemates.

Feeling the need to be distracted from the events of Halloween, Harry poured himself full-heartedly into his homework, assignments and studying. Hermione would be proud. There was such a vast abundance of information that was being made available to him at this school that he knew he should take rightful advantage of, considering that it could prove a great aid in the future of this War and the position he was playing in it. He reminded himself from time-to-time that he was up against the Darkest most experienced Wizard of all time. Better than any of his Professor's or classmates. That gave him the motivation to begin studying what he was not supposed to in class. Harry found himself straying off into the darker sections of the Durmstrang library, taking extensive notes from books banned at Hogwarts and others that Hermione would scoff at and throw away in disgust.

Draco observed the subtle changes in Harry's attitude towards studying and stayed by his side as he did it. He helped by retrieving books and explaining things he learned from his early youth days at the Malfoy Manor from his Father that would be useful to Harry as well. He understood where he was going with all his research, and one day he made the suggestion that he should take it further.

"Harry, I think it's great you are researching all of these counterspells and curses, but do you honestly think it will do you that much good?" Draco asked softly from across the small oak table, littered with parchments and books.

Harry slowly looked up from what he was currently reading with a befuddled expression, "I hope it will. What more can I do to prepare myself for whatever's coming?"

"Perhaps you should consider wielding the darkest of magick, with and without your wand," Draco whispered so no other students studying quietly around them could hear.

"I-I thought that's what I have been doing...just not practicing them physically, yet," he said slowly.

Draco slowly shook his head and smirked, "Harry, there are much darker forms of magic than what you are reading. There are curses that will forever damage the mind of a person with one flick of the wrist. There are spells I can teach you, just as my Father did me, that will give you the power to strike fear even into the eyes of the most notorious Death Eaters. I offer to teach you this, and everything I know. It will be hard, painful and illegal but it will be worthwhile," he finished with a devilish grin.

Harry stared across at his boyfriend determindedly. He knew his past was plauged with darkness so he needn't ask why Draco knew such things, and he didn't really want to know those reasons in the first place. It was an opportunity he could not miss out on, for it sounded to Harry like the weapon he needed to be to at least survive to see the last days of this spiteful War. "It will also protect you, above all else, from harm. Which is most important to me," Draco finished, cutting off Harry's thoughts as his smirk desolved into a loving smile.

Determindedly, Harry spoke, "Then teach me, Draco,"

 


	16. Seize The Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Title: Seize The Day  
> By: Avenged Sevenfold

_I found you here, now please just stay for awhile  
_ _I can move on with you around  
_ _I hand you my mortal life, but will it be forever?  
_ _I'll do anything for a smile, holding you till our time is done  
_ _We both know the day will come, but I don't want to leave you.  
_ _I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time  
_ _But I'm too young to worry  
_ _Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost,  
_ _It's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over._

* * *

"I can't believe it!"

"The old coot had it coming,"

"He was useless, anyway. Mother and Father are rather glad he's not around any more,"

"The Ministry is in an uproar, have you heard who they've got in line?"

"Some bowso Auror,"

"Now  _that_  won't last long,"

Harry had been listening to the buzzing news all day. It had been announced at breakfast by Igor Karkaroff, attempting to seem saddened by the events which happened. Harry knew immediately what it meant. The Ministry was no longer safe, there were people inside of it that had betrayed them and were most likely prone to do it again.

The Daily Prophet, The Quibbler, Witch Weekly and every other Wizarding newspaper held the headline; 'MINISTER OF MAGIC CORNELIUS FUDGE: MURDERED' The articles went about discussing the details of the maintenance Witch going into his office late last night and finding him already out on the floor, his cup of brandy spilt across the expensive Persian rug. He had been allegedly poisoned with the Draught of Death, a simple NEWT-level Potion. There were no suspects thus far. Harry knew it had to be Death Eaters. They weren't being blatant about it this time because it was the Minister, and it was too risky. They were probably trying to rattle the Wizarding community the best they could, and it was working. He had shared his views on the situation with Draco, neither being particularly upset that Fudge was rid off.

"Kingsley's a good man," Harry said as they made their way, hand-in-hand, out to the snow-covered courtyard that Thursday afternoon during their free period.

"Mmm, never really had a chance to meet him. Must be good if he isn't one of my Father's associates," Draco returned.

Kingsley Shacklebolt had been appointed as the new Minister of Magic, taking Fudge's place that morning after the anointing ceremony. Harry was fond of Kingsley, he had met the Auror over the summer at Headquarters several times. The frigid cold in the courtyard startled Harry, it was easy to forget just how freezing it was where Durmstrang was located especially in the winter months. Draco seemed unaffected as Harry pulled his fur cloak closer to himself, shivering in its heated confines. "So what is it today, love?" Harry quipped. Ever since Draco proposed to him the dark teachings of curses and other such magic most didn't even know existed, the blonde had taken up the role of a teacher with gruelling lessons in the harsh winds.

"Could you put up the enchantment wards? We definitely do not need others nosing around today," Draco said, a hint of warning in his voice.

"Oh?" Harry asked, his interest peeked as he retrieved his wand from his pocket and with the mere flick of his wrists, the enchantment wards were placed around them. Now to the normal witch, wizard or muggle that passed by, they would perceive nothing but an empty courtyard. A Silencio charm woven into the wards Harry created ensured they were kept quiet from anybody nearby as well.

Draco turned to face his boyfriend with a stern face, "You're not going to like this, but it must be done, Harry. I have seen stupendous improvement when it comes to your magical abilities, and most vastly in the Dark Arts. You are a fair rival for Voldemort, that goes without saying," he said, ignoring Harry's blush, "However, how quick will you be able to react? Will you be able to use these curses and abilities on a real human being, causing them great suffering all under your control? You are able, without a wand or without words, to cast any sorts of magic which is most impressive. The question is, can you carry it out realistically? You need to be prepared to do so, no matter who stands in your way when the War comes," he finished seriously.

Harry's face fell. He understood what was being asked of him and Draco was right-he wasn't going to like this. In fact, he wasn't keen on participating in today's lesson whatsoever. "Isn't there something else you could teach me first?"

"Harry," Draco said lowly, taking a step forward. The brunette's eyes flicked to the small movement made by his boyfriend, his alabaster hand reaching swiftly into his pocket and pulling out his wand, gripping it tightly. "This is our most important lesson yet, and it very well may save your life,"

"But, Draco, how can you expect me to want to curse you? Isn't there some other way around this? I-I can't do this. I can't hurt you! I promised I'd protect you and-" hot, tearing pain ripped itself through Harry's body, bubbling beneath his skin. He recognized it immediately as Cruxiation, a dark variation of the Unforgivable Curse, Cruciatus. It was not banned because the Ministry thought it highly unlikely there were those that even knew how to cast it any longer. But this, like many of the other spells Draco had taught Harry, had been passed down through centuries of the infamous Malfoy bloodline and the teachings that came along with the family title as heir. 

Harry didn't know when he had fallen to the snow floor, but suddenly he was heaving on his hands and knees, clenching his teeth, barring the pain at bay. Another wave of Cruxiation hit him, almost sending him overboard as his mind began to swim. He needed to react if he wanted to stay conscious, and he didn't want to let Draco down either.

" _Eradico Expugno_ ," he hissed between his teeth, already too drained to cast the curse wordlessly.

Upon Harry's words, deep roots seemed to spring up from the cold, hard ground and rush at Draco whose eyes went wide as he quickly attempted a severing charm which only hit two of the five attacking roots. They twisted and contorted as they gripped harshly around the blonde's ankles, yanking him down to the ground and slowly crawling over him as he hastily cast stunning charms and detachment curses down at them.

" _Inconditus_ ," Harry cast, getting up off the ground as the Cruxiation Curses had been banished upon his attack on Draco. Now the other boy, struggling away from the thick roots, slowed down almost immediately. His eyes went wide with confusion as he looked all around himself, taking in his surroundings as if for the first time. The Inconditus Charm was almost like an illusion of the Obliviation spell. Instead of wiping the target's memories, it just confuses them, mixing them around in the mind to send the person for quite the momentary trip, leaving them unable to focus on the task at hand.

Not wanting to cast deadly curses he had been taught, or ones that caused excruciating amounts of pain, Harry quickly decided upon the darker variation of the Stunning Charm.

" _Sopor_ ," he whispered, regaining his own energy now as Draco-still confused and bewildered on the ground-immediately fell flat on his back and into a deep slumber, only lifted by Harry's words.

" _Finite_ ," Harry said, concentrating the spell only on the Eradico Expugno curse and the Inconditus one. He reached out with one hand as he knelt over top of Draco's quiet, slumbering body and brushed the pieces of platinum hair away from his forehead. Admiring him momentarily, Harry then lifted his final curse.

Draco came to quickly, jumping upright into a sitting position. He calmed himself and looked over at Harry. "Very good. You found an effective way to overcome your opponent without being too cruel. Though, might I warn you that this will not always work - in fact, it usually will not work, with Death Eaters. You must be harsher, Harry,"

"I will be. Those monsters deserve what I am going to give them. They deserve eternal pain and misfortune, and even death. But you...you only deserve the best. I couldn't bring myself to really hurt you," Harry blushed, looking away from Draco.

The blonde smiled up at his boyfriend, reaching out and cupping his face softly with his hands. He brought them to one another's eye-level and leaned up to kiss Harry gently. Their lips quivered against one another, sparking warmth in the cold December afternoon. Draco was quick to deepen the kiss, sliding his wet tongue alongside the bottom of Harry's chapped lip. The brunette hissed in response, the sensation shooting from his mouth down to his groin. Sliding his hand up Draco's side, he came to his soft, silken hair and ruffled his fingers in the depth of it, pushing them closer together as he did so.

Leaning back on one of his hands, Draco blinked seductively up at Harry through his pale eyelashes and licked his lips. Harry was breathlessly caught staring down at him, unable to look away. "Let me take you Harry. I want to know what you feel like," he whispered hoarsely.

Harry swallowed, eyes going wide. "T-take me?" he asked, and then the images of what that would imply popped into his head and his groin quickly reacted. Despite the cold air, sweat began to bead on his lower back as he thought of it. "Anything for you," he answered, completely sure yet fearful and nervous at the same time. 

Draco, satisfied with the answer, came onto his feet and held out a hand to help Harry up as well. In a daze they walked through the corridors, nearly empty due to the fact most students were in classes. They were one of the few with a free period at that moment. They went to their dormitory, thankful that none of the other boys were in there as Draco was quick to lock and silencio the room. He turned to Harry, an expression of hunger on his face. His eyes burned with the pure passion he felt for the strong willed, honest, generous and incredibly prodigious man. They had been too distracted with their studying and preparations to ensure Harry's fate at the end of the War that they never focused on each other enough. Now that Draco was convinced Harry was ready to fight anybody and anything, he wouldn't to show him just how much he appreciated every part of him. Harry paused as he looked back at Draco, his heart thudding loudly in his throat. Who once was his rival was now his most treasured lover, a person who understood him and not only what he was going through but more importantly what he would have to go through. Though Draco had a dark past, much like Harry's, he learned to think around the façade the blonde still usually played as he had developed an ability to see who he really was. Most of all, he loved every part of that person and the way he made him feel, so substantially.

Draco crossed over to Harry and quickly embraced him into his arms, his mouth hot on his neck, suckling sweetly at the pulsating veins beneath his earlobe. Harry gasped, involuntarily flinging his head backwards as pleasure racked through him with such a simple touch. Bringing his hands to Harry's hips, Draco slowly slid them under his cloak and up his buttoned blouse, teasing the toned abdomen with his feathery fingertips. It felt like soothing fire touched him when Draco's tongue dragged from his ear down to the nook of his neck. Shivering under his touch, Harry groaned and pulled him closer, non-verbally asking for more.

Obliging what he sensed his partner wanted, Draco easily stripped Harry of his cloak and blouse as his mouth continued its ministrations on his neck, slowly trailing lower and across both of his tensed collar bones. Harry had never known himself to be so turned on by something so little, but at the moment he had lost all train of thought as his hands fumbled with the clasp of Draco's own cloak and buttons. Once they were shirtless and Draco's mouth had trailed far enough down Harry's neck that he now was just above his nipples, Draco brought his hands from Harry's abdomen to the waist of his trousers. Looking up into those emerald pools, Draco hissed seductively, "I love you, I want to feel you,"

"I-I want you too, Draco, p-please...take me," Harry responded softly, his voice quivering.

In the midst of their heated passion; limbs tangled, their hands continuously roaming the others sweaty, electric skin, Harry looked up at Draco with all the love he never knew he could feel, "Draco, please never leave me,"

Draco stopped at that, a small bemused laugh escaping his lips as he looked down at Harry. He stroked the side of his face lovingly and with a smirk he said, "Do you already forget what I promised you? I will stay by your side, through everything, and I will protect you until my dying day, Harry. I'll never leave you," and with that he bent down to capture his lovers lips once again, even more passion fuelling their desire now.

And in those moments as they touched, kiss, licked, caressed and made love to one another, the dark future that was impeding upon them did not matter so long as they were in each other's arms.

* * *

 

_So what if I never hold you, or kiss your lips again?  
_ _So I never want to leave you. And the memories of us to see,  
_ _I beg don't leave me.  
_ _Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost  
_ _it's empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over.  
_ _Trials in life, questions of us existing here  
_ _Don't wanna die alone without you here  
_ _Please tell me what we have is real._


	17. The Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No chapter song again, my apologies.

He couldn't have asked for more.

When he went to Durmstrang, Harry hadn't expected to fall head over heels for Draco, or to be sharing his bed every night. That was until December nineteenth. Two days before the trial, the blonde had gone quite literally missing. Harry frantically searched for him about the Castle, asking everybody he was on neutral terms with if they had seen him. They had gotten so close and dependent upon the others company, that for those two days Harry had never been more confused and distraught. Now it was the morning of the trial, and Harry's nerves were on end and Draco was still nowhere to be found. He had confronted Headteacher Karkaroff in the corridor and his only response was that he had been summouned home for the holidays. Harry attempted to send a letter to Dumbledore, Sirius and Hermione asking if they knew of his whereabouts or any suspicious Death Eater activity that could relate to it.

The Draco he knew wouldn't just leave him like that, without explanation, saying goodbye, or even wishing him luck for the trial. It just made no sense, and the only thing Harry could think of was that Draco had left not of his own accord.

"I have known Draco for quite sometime and this is not usual of him, however I have confidence he can take care of himself," Chester tried to monotonely comfort Harry as he was finishing up packing his bags, about to catch the carriages and train back home for the holidays.

"Maybe you should talk to his cousins, mate," Migel spoke up from his bed. Him and Quinton weren't going home for the holidays, but instead were spending it studying there.

"Yeah, he's got two here..One in Seventh Year, one in Third. They're brothers. What're their names again?"

"Marcus and Bryce?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's them!"

"How're they related to Draco exactly?" Harry asked slowly, anybody apart of the Malfoy bloodline he knew he had to be wary of. His boyfriend had pointed them out to him during the first Feast in September, but never spoke anymore of it so Harry didn't push. They had the same striking platinum hair as Draco, but much longer. Their features were dull and plain, eyes thin and a deep blue. They were apart of the _ House.

"I think it's his Mother's nephews,"

"His Mother has a sister?" Harry asked curiously, not knowing much of his boyfriend's family history.

"Mhm, two actually. Most only think just the one, Bellatrix Lestrange, but it's actually two. There was Felicia Black as well, but she had turned out a Squib and after giving birth to two sons, her pureblooded husband saw it fit to rid of her yet keep her family name, which was better than his,"

"You see, Marcus and Bryce aren't particularly proud of their Mother, so if I were you I would be careful,"

Harry nodded slowly at the twins, "Thanks guys, I'm going to try and find them before they head off for the hols. And Chester, thanks for everything. Have a good holiday, and I hope not to see you in the new year," he joked softly.

Chester smirked over at him, momentarily pausing in his packing, "Happy Christmas to you too, Potter. Good luck with the trial and make sure to keep Malfoy in line," he grinned.

"Oh, I would if I could find him," he sighed, and turned to begin to descend from the Aequor Dormitories to the Second Floor where the Caelus House was located.

Harry had never been to any of the other House dormitories, for he never really saw the need to. Actually, now that he thought about it he had only ever been into Gryffindor and Slytherin back at Hogwarts, too. Shrugging it off, he waited patiently on the outside of the Caelus portal to their Common Room. He knew he would be magically rejected if he entered, so he would wait until somebody was going in or coming out.

Finally, what looked like a First Year boy came out of the Dormitory looking rather glum. "Er, hi," Harry said, getting his attention.

"Potter," spat the boy, with more venom Harry thought any eleven year-old could have.

"Uh, could you please get me Marcus and Bryce Black? I-I need to ask them a question, if they're in there..." he trailed off, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck nervously.

The boy eyed him suspciously before grunting and turning back through the arch and into his Common Room. Harry waited a good five minutes before the First Year came out again and swept past him without a glance, following the boy were two others. The first was the Third Year, Bryce, short and scrawny with palid features. Then was Marcus, much more defined but with a nasty scowl on his face. His arms were crossed as he addressed Harry.

"What do  _you_  want?" he hissed.

"You've demolished the Malfoy family name, now you wish to come after ours, too, is that it?" Bryce snapped.

Harry wasn't in the least bit surprised at the immediate hostility he was recieving, so he straightened himself up and cleared his throat. "Where is Draco?"

Marcus seethed at the name, "How are we supposed to know. You're his Keeper,"

"I am not hi-"

"Right, and I'm not a pureblood," Bryce rolled his eyes.

"Yes but you're Mother's a Squib - that's good enough to be called a Half, isn't it?" Harry snapped back, not knowing where that had come from him. It must have been from all his time he had been spending with their cousin.

Both of the boys got a murderous look in their eyes, and Bryce looked about to retort but Marcus shot him a glance before speaking to Harry in a low tone, "He is helping Lucius prepare for their Annual Yuletide Ball. He's been at the Manor for two days now. Didn't he tell you?" Harry opened and closed his mouth for a moment. Was it true? Did Draco just go home for the holidays without even informing Harry...why would he do that? Or were these two lying to him.

"Being so close to his family, I've learned never to trust a Malfoy, they always have another scheme up their sleeves that is all for the betterment of their name," Marcus explained haughtily.

Bryce nodded in agreement before adding, "And considering the abysmal mess you've made of their name, it'll take more tricks to get it back than they're used to,"

Harry shot him a scowl. "Now if that's everything, we have better things to do than associate with a Half-Blood,"

Harry pursed his lips and without responding he turned and left. Why did all of those related to Draco have to be so intolerable?  _'Probably because Draco is so intolerable himself, the only reason you tolerate him is becausem you love him_ ,' Harry thought to himself before storming back up to his Dormitory. He had only a miniscule amount of time to prepare for the Trial, Dumbledore should be arriving in Igor's office any moment now.

* * *

The time had come, and Harry could not have been more nervous. He knew the circumstances would be ultimately different if Draco were at his side. Even though they would have to maintain an image when at the Ministry of Magic, at least he would still have his silent support. But as he stood in his dormitory doorway, saying his goodbye's to Migel and Quinton, he could not have felt more doubtful of the outcome.

"Cheer up, mate,"

"Malfoy'll come 'round...I mean, it could be his Father's fault why he left so fast,"

"Yeah, knowing Mr Malfoy the way we do..." the twins trailed off, sending Harry supportive smiles which he returned.

"Thanks guys, for everything this term. Come visit at Hogwarts, won't you?" Harry asked hopefully, he did feel as though he had made some good friends.

"Course! Good luck at the Ministry," Migel smiled again.

"Cya in the New Year," Harry then turned to leave the dormitory, in slight dismay of saying goodbye to his new mates. He hadn't heard Quinton mumble in response, "You'll be seeing us sooner than that,"

The journey from the Aequor Common room to Igor Karkaroff's gloomy office was too short in Harry's opinion, as he was greeted there by Dumbledore smiling softly, wearing his light blue robes. Headteacher Karkaroff was sitting behind his desk leaning his chin on the palm of his hands, a hint of malice in his brown eyes as he watched Harry greet his old Headmaster. "We will be travelling by Floo, Harry. Do you remember the procedures from last time when we arrive at the Ministry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yessir," Harry nodded, making it prudent not to greet Karkaroff for hopefully it would be the last time he'd be seeing him.

"There is quite the crowd there to support you today and also vouch for your character," Dumbledore said, and Harry could only think of the Weasley's and Hermione who would be in attendance, though he wasn't sure who was all going to be making a testimony.

So he and Dumbledore said their short, empty so long to Karkaroff and then disappeared in a flash of green flames via the Headteacher's fireplace, and appeared in the busied foyer of the Ministry of Magic. People were popping in and out of all the seemingly endless Floo Networks as mail owls whizzed overhead, reporters and newspaper stands screamed out their headlines as the Ministry employee's and visitor's walked by in the expansive hall. Harry stuck close to Dumbledore as they made their way to the front desk, checking in with the secretary who looked Harry up and down with shock, amazed at meeting the infamous boy. He blushed usual but said nothing as they then made their way to the elevator, requesting the Department of Mysteries where the court was located.

As soon as Harry stepped off of the elevator, feeling queezy as always, he was greeted by six enthusiastic redheads and Hermione. They all hugged him tightly and gave him the usual good luck, but he still was nerve-wrecked even with his greatest friends and indirect family around. Draco was still absent and it wasn't doing him well.

"You alright, mate? You seem a little off," Ron commented as the large group began to head into the court room.

"It's D-" Harry stopped himself, realizing now was not the best time to remind Ron of his romantic involvement so he just shook his head mumbling, "It's nothing,"

The court room was just as it was in the summer time, but instead of Fudge sitting atop the Judge's chair, it was Kingsley Shacklebot. For appearances, Harry smiled up at him and all around at the Ministry officials who would be acting jury for him that day. There were only few familiar faces from last time. On the sides were where the Weasley's, Hermione and Professor Dumbledore were seated, Harry got the defendant's chair in the middle of the room. It was rather intimidating, but having been in this position once before with more support than last time did make it much easier on him.

The Trial began the same as the other one, with a recount of the events during the summer when Harry defended him and Dudley from the Dementor's in Little Whinging. Then came the time for each of the Weasley's to stand up and defend Harry's character, explaining how through all the years of knowing him he would not break a law if not necessary or in a life threatning situation. Hermione and Professor Dumbledore gave their testimonies afterwards. It was just about time for Harry to do his personal recount of the events and his explanation of his actions when the court room door burst open, everybody jumped and looked over. A Ministry worker hurried in with a flushed expression, he clambered up past the jury stands to where Kingsley patiently sat and leaned in to whisper in his ear. His eyes went wide as he spoke, "Who? Ah, unexpected...very well, bring him in," he ordered softly, and the Ministry worker ran off and out the door again. "Our last testimony on Harry Potter's behalf belongs to-"

' _Last testimony? Didn't we already do that?'_  Harry thought confusedly to himself, and he turned around to face Draco who was just walking in through the door. The blonde avoided any kind of direct eye contact with Harry very slyly. He was wearing his most expensive robes, clasped together with a gleaming silver Malfoy emblem. Behind Draco walked in Lucius, who shocked those who still were not by the Malfoy's presence. Even the Weasley's seemed befuddled at this.

Father and Son stood a few feet away from Harry, neither looking in his direction although he strived for his boyfriend to return his gaze. Something about the way the two looked together and carried themselves emenating power and authority.

"Under the Wizarding Decree, originally forged by Merlin himself, one is allowed to break any law under the Wizarding Decree if it means to save their own or others lives. If one Witch or Wizard is put into extreme circumstances, they may cast whatever charm, hex, or spell they must to bring themselves to safety. It is easily agreeable that being faced with three Dementor's in a Muggle town with no other protection than your wand is an extreme situation in which a fast reaction must be made.

The laws in which Harry Potter broke on that night are nothing compared to the life threatning situation he and his Muggle cousin were in. He cast the Patronus Charm to protect him and his family, and sure it was under-age but the first law overrides the rest. He performed this Charm in the presence of a Muggle, but this is highly irrelevant considering that this particular Muggle already was fully aware of our existance and also the existance of Magic.

Ontop of that, I would be fully willing to go under Veritaserum and oath that Harry James Potter would never do harm or break the law without it being absolutely vital," Draco paused and took in the jury who were still shocked by a Malfoy defending Harry Potter, "Some of you may be questioning the circumstances of what happened in Little Whinging that evening. Why were there Dementor's there in the first place? Could Harry just be lying about the entirety of it all? I can prove that there  _were_  Dementor's there that evening who came to collect Harry Potter and bring him to their Master who is none other than Lord Voldemort," now the court room was gasping, hissing in disbelief and fear of the name he spoke so calmly. Harry was taken aback with how forward the blonde was being - what was he getting at? Where was this all going to? He was risking the pride of his family's name and honour by being here and saying these things...not to mention their lives.

"I have proof that the Dark Lord has risen once again into power and that he is very much alive. He is beginning his pursuit of Harry Potter at full speed, wishing to rid himself of a nuisance from the past. Is it not the Ministry's obligation to keep innocents safe from harm? If the expulsion and charges on Harry remain past today, the threat on his life will only increase tenfold. I attended Durmstrang Instituition with Harry for the past term and saw his life in constant danger by those around him, almost all the students willing to sell their classmate to their own parents for reasons I know I do not have to mention for you to grasp. In the series of events and attacks that followed, it became obvious that the only place Harry Potter was safe was under Albus Dumbledore's protection. So I suggest you all start doing your jobs and protect the innocent people of our Wizardind World," he finished authoritatively.

Everybody was staring at the Malfoy duo, their straight calm faces, piercing silver eyes, matching expensive robes. Kingsley was considering all that Draco had said, "Where is your proof of the Dark Lord's return?" he asked wearily, for Shacklebolt it was all semantics and politics. 

"Ah, I do believe by proof Draco is referring to me. I am willing to provide all the information I have on Death Eater activities and several Headquarters to the Ministry in a Trial of my own," Lucius spoke up in a cool drawl, "I can ensure you that it will be well worth your time," Harry couldn't believe it. Was Lucius actually going to confess to the Ministry? That was most certainly risking his life and his entire Estate! He knew it all couldn't be just for him, but still...Lucius could end up in Azkaban for life or with the Dementor's Kiss.

"Due to new circumstances, the jury calls for an immediate ten minute recess," the jury representative said.

As the jury members and Kinglsey all stood up to leave, Harry jumped from his seat and ran over to the Malfoy's. He was tempted to throw his arms around Draco but then remembered where they were and smiled sheepishly, more than glad he got a smirk in response. "Thank you Draco...thank you...but why?"

"Do you honestly think I could sit here while there was still a chance you would be sent back to Durmstrang?" he drawled.

"But this is so risky-"

"We both understand the risks, and they are ones we have been willing to take as a family for years. These are our decisions and might I also add that mine have nothing to do with you," Lucius hissed in interuption.

Harry straightened up and regarded the older Malfoy slowly nodding, "Well thank the both of you anyway, for saving my life again," he grinned. "But why did you leave Durmstrang without telling me?"

Draco's smirk fell, "I had to leave immediately with Father. He had showed up unannounced. I hope I didn't worry you too much, but we had much preparation in case today did not go as planned," he explained.

"I was worried out of my gasket, but you're here now and okay and that's all that mattered," Harry smiled, "Your cousins are terribly mannered though, have I ever told you that?"

"My cousins?" Draco rasied an eyebrow, a small cold laugh escpaing him as he shook his head, "Nevermind, I do not believe I wish to know if it involves Bryce and Marcus,"

"Please, all be seated. The jury has made their decision," Kingsley Shacklebolt had arrived back in the centre of the courtroom, his jury looking pleased flanked on either side back in their seats. Harry hurried over from Draco and sat down where he was before.

"The case regarding Harry James Potter's expulsion from Hogwarts has come to a unanimous decision. You are freed of all charges, your record cleared, and you may begin to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the beginning of the upcoming term. In reference to Lucuis Malfoy's evidence of the Dark Lord, a second Trial will be held tomorrow at 11:00 o'clock. Case closed, the jury is adjorned," Kingsley finished.

The Weasley's erupted into cheers and Harry got up happily from his chair to beam a smile over at Draco, enthusiastically returned. He was distracted by Hermione throwing her arms around Harry in congratulations, and by two faces appearing at the entrance to the court room. The newcomers walked over to the crowd now congratulating Harry on his charges being dropped, and smirked identically with their arms crossed. They came to stand beside Draco who rolled his eyes at their mere presence.

"Oy-a Harry, told yah he'd come around!" Quinton jabbed a thumb in Draco's direction with a snicker.

"Guess we won't be seeing your sorry arse next term, not that we mind," Migel winked. Harry grinned widely and ignored the Weasley's and Hermione's confused look at who were seemingly strangers.

For once, he felt his future was something to be looked forward to. For as long as he had company like this, there was a War that was worth giving his life for.

 


	18. The Noble House of Black

"Ronald Weasley, you get back here this instance and put Kreacher down!" Mrs. Weasley squeaked.

"INGRATEFUL HALF-BREEDS!" came loudly from the doorway.

Draco had remembered Number Twelve Grimmauld Place from when he was younger, but he had never recalled it ever being so disorganized and hectic. "Look at that Fred, its a snake!"

"I've never been too fond of snakes,"

"Well there was that one we found potting gnomes in the garden...Brussel, was his name, wasn't it?"

"How am I supposed to know, Harry's the one that was speaking to it-"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Merry Christmas to you too, Fred and George,"

"Don't get ahead of the game Harry, it's not Christmas yet," George winked.

"My Mistress would never approve of such dirty, foul blood in her home. Oh, if she were alive today she-"

"We bleeding well wouldn't have to hear you go off every two minutes! Mom! Kreacher's doing it again!" Ron whined loudly from the drawing room where he and Hermione had been given the duty of cleaning up the books in there.

"C'mon then, lets get out of here," Harry muttered to Draco who hadn't said a word from appearing through the Floo Network with Harry in the living room only moments before. It was interesting to Draco that this is where the Headquarters for the Order of The Pheonix were, but he decided not to have much thought on it.

Grabbing onto Harry's hand, Draco allowed himself to be led away from the twins through semi-familiar territory. They came first upon the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was bustling around the kitchen, her wand flicking each and every way. "Oh! Harry dear, Draco, you made it! Was the trip alright?" she momentarily stopped her work to give Harry, and surprisingly Draco a hug as well.

"The trip from one fireplace to another?" Draco drawled sarcastically, but upon Harry's glare he softened up the sweetest smile he could muster, "It was just fine Mrs. Weasley, thank you for inquiring. May I help with dinner? I always used to love tutting around the kitchen with the House Elves," he grinned.

Mrs. Weasley was blushing pink, "Oh dear, you just concentrate on settling in. I bet it's been a rough few months for you,"

"With Harry at my side, nothing ever seems too difficult," Draco restrained his chuckle as Mrs Weasley seemed to swoon at his words.

"Harry dear, I have no idea what the others are on about regarding Draco's attitude. Now go on you two, it sounds like Ronald needs some help shushing Kreacher," she turned back to the multiple tasks of the kitchen at hand.

Still, with Draco's hand clasped tightly between his own fingers, Harry brought him into the foyer. "You said you had been here before as a kid, right?"

"The Noble House of Black," Draco nodded slowly in memory, "Must say that is has changed quite a bit,"

"And for the better, if you ask me," Sirius added in from the top of the narrow staircase. Harry let go of Draco's hand to run up and throw his arms around his Godfather, always happy to see him.

"Nobody particularly asked you Black, and I do believe Aunt Bellatrix would be rather dismayed by what has become of the place. Perhaps with my fashion sense and Father's money we can restore it to the jewel it was," Draco drawled, taking a quick look around.

"A-A Malfoy? In my home? A Malfoy has graced his presence amongst these filthy half-breeds?" Mrs. Black's portrait had quieted herself and she was now whimpering with anxiety.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "At least your gracious presence shut the coot up," he grumbled, "Moony's out back practising with Ginny if you'd like to say hello," he said, heading his way out there now for the backyard seemed to be the only amount of fresh air he got those days.

"Why is Mrs Black covered by a tapestry?" Draco inquired, staring at the covered portrait, silenced for once due to his righteous presence.

"Shut her the hell up, that's why," Harry mumbled, "Now c'mon, we gotta get Ron away from Kreacher before he throttles the daylights out of him," he said, yanking Draco in the direction of the drawing room. 

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed upon their arrival, jumping up from her knees where she had been searching through the bottom shelf of books and running over to hug him. "Happy Holidays! You too, Malfoy," she smiled sweetly at the blonde who attempted one in return.

"Hey mate...Malfoy," Ron ventured a look over at the reinstated Slytherin, still rather weary of him despite his brave testimony on Harry's behalf.

"Now, now. Do not be getting too excited to see me, Gryffindorks," Draco sneered, slinking his arm around Harry's waist making the brunette blush and flutter his eyelashes up at him.

In those quick glances they shared with one another, it scared Draco because it revealed just how much he felt for The-Boy-Who-Lived, and just how far he would go for him. Being a residence in the Noble House of Black over the holidays was only one of the many things Draco was willing to do for him. "It's great to see you all, but Draco and I have got to settle in...see you at dinner?" Harry said before taking his boyfriend to retrieve their forgotten bags from the living room and they dragged them up the narrow staircase.

"This place has a very unnerving feeling about it...I like it," Draco pondered aloud, following Harry to the second last door on the right hand side of the hallway. It was his usual room with Ron but it didn't surprise him that there was only one bed in there.

"I guess we'll stay here," Harry said as he threw his trunk in the corner of the room and Draco followed suit.

"Alone at last," Draco smirked as he closed the distance between him and Harry. Heat rose between their yearning bodies as their lips crashed together passionately, their tongues battling for dominance but Draco won as always. Harry moaned and grasped the back of Draco's shirt, willing it to come off as he let his kisses trail from the blondes mouth and over his landscape of soft, alabaster skin. He was like a living porcelin doll, born into perfection. Harry adored every part of Draco; every curve, bump, blemish (if he could ever find any), platinum hairs, and even the way his pointed joints look. He relished the beauty in the boy before him, still ravishing him with seductive kisses as Draco relaxed.

"Now that we are alone...what ever will you do with me?" Harry breathed into his ear, ghosting his hot uneven breath across his skin causing goosebumps to arise. He was working his hands forward to Draco's torso now, unbuttoning his cloak and then his shirt. He stepped back as Draco himself removed all of his clothing down to his silk boxers and Harry followed suit, they stared hungrily at one another as they did so, their eyes never breaking contact.

"Do with you, or do  _to_  you?" Draco hissed and then in a quick motion was pushing Harry back onto the made bed and climbing on top of him with such haste as his mouth covered distances in a short amount of time. By the time Harry gathered the change in position, he was in heaven as his senses soared erotically.

Draco ground into Harry, their members pushing hard against one another with not much fabric to separate them. Harry was running his hands through Draco's soft hair and down his sides, grasping his buttocks once he got there. Draco gasped and was only urged to grind harder into the boy beneath him.

"I love you, Draco," Harry whispered, throwing his head back and closing his eyes as he allowed himself to fall feelings first.

Draco paused to bring himself onto his elbows and get a proper look at Harry's serene features. He sighed contentedly. "I love you too, Harry, more than I ever knew I could. And you must never forget that I will always be right here...by your side," he promised huskily before pressing their bodies back together, this time with more passion than before.

They were too wrapped in one another to hear the door creak slowly open, but they weren't deaf as they heard somebody swearing in the doorway. Harry shot hastily apart from Draco, grabbing as much of the beds blankets as he could to cover himself up from whoever enetered. His glasses were fogged but it was easy to see Ron's pink cheeks as he was covering his eyes with his sleeve. "Bloody hell, you two! I accept that you're dating but for Merlin's sake am I going to have to see this all the time?" he yelped.

"You don't  _have_  to watch us, but the door is always open if you so wish, Weasel," Draco teased, barely daunted by the fact he was aroused and near nude in front of the redhead.

"Urgh," Ron shivered, "Dinner's ready. Bleeding poofs, think they can just...urgh," Ron mumbled to himself, shaking his head and walking out the door, not chancing a second look back - afraid of what he would see.

When they were alone again, Draco burst into a small fit of laughter. "Oh, the look on his face was just bloody priceless! What a prude!" he giggled.

Harry, still blushing heavily, retrieved his clothing from the floor and slowly got dressed and then fixed his hair. "Well, I can definitely say this is going to be one of the most interesting Christmas' I've ever had," he muttered.

"Of course it is, you are spending it with me, Potter, and have you failed to notice yet that I'm the most interesting person that there is?" Draco teased, putting his own clothes back on but in no hurry.

Harry rolled his eyes and didn't bother waiting for Draco as he started towards the door, "Poof," he said.

"Wanker,"

"Tosser,"

"You love me," Harry turned his head to stuck out his tongue and then slipped out of the doorway and into the hall down towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, and you are lucky I do, Harry," Draco whispered to himself, righted his hair and then followed his boyfriend downstairs to join him at the dinner table.

They ignored the questioning and curious looks they received the entire hectic meal, because all that mattered to the two of them was that beneath the table their hands were in one another's, their fingers entwined tightly as they would be forever.

 

_Fin._


End file.
